Tainted
by TigerTerror
Summary: SEQUEL TO 'COFFEE BREAK' The nightmare's over, and now Kai can recover. But what if something from his past never left?Discontinued.
1. Reflecting

TT: Hello everyone!  
  
Kai: I HATE YOU ALL!!!  
  
TT: *thwaps Kai* Be nice!  
  
Kai: Why should I? If they hadn't reviewed, you'd have never done this! *mutters something under breathe*  
  
TT: *coughs* Yes, well... I'm sure everyone will be very pleased to discover this is the very first chapter of The Sequel To Coffee-Break!!  
  
Kai: I fail to see why that merits the phrase worthy of having capitals.  
  
TT: ^^;; Anyway all, I've only half-planned where I going with this... I'vw discovered my fics go better without much planning.  
  
Kai: *snorts* that doesn't say much.  
  
TT: -_-'' I'll ignore you now... So, can people humor me with the fic? Just a little? Please?  
  
Kai: Throw rocks at her!!  
  
TT: T_T Kai hates me.  
  
Kai: duh.  
  
TT: *sniffs sadly* Anyway, please enjoy, and review, I like reviews. Reviews help me, 'specially when they have helpful suggestions.  
  
Kai: Don't review, leave her to think everyone hates the fic so that she vows never to write again!  
  
TT: _ Can't you be a little positive for once?  
  
Kai: Not when 'TT the Kai torturer' is writing the fic.  
  
Disclaimer: If TT owned BeyBlade, a lot of fanfiction writers would be PAID to do story lines for the show.  
  
***  
  
It had been several months since the incident that had ended up with Kai in hospital and Boris in jail, and the nightmares had all but vanished. They remained, but were much less vivid and occurred very rarely.  
  
He didn't drink coffee anymore; the beverage had caused him more than enough trouble for one lifetime. However, he had become fond of drinking coke every now and then.  
  
Kai had warmed up to the others a little... Make that very little, but it was still an improvement. He did, however, avoid answering their questions about his past and the nightmares that had plagued him at all costs.  
  
Sometimes he still had those nightmares, but they were nothing compared to what they had been before. No, now they were rare, short incidences that left him feeling slightly disturbed. They were rarely more than black dranzer's red eyes searing into his soul for a moment, followed by the faint smell of smoke, nothing more.  
  
Kai was currently sitting on the balcony railing of their hotel rooms, legs dangling over the side as he ran a finger over the visible, however small, scars on his arms before turning his hands over. He stared blankly at the palms of his hands, but not really seeing them.  
  
Though everything seemed to be back to normal, Kai still couldn't get over the feeling that had been brought sharply into focus throughout the incident. His hands were the ones that had touched, launched, that had freed Black Dranzer, allowed it to do so much evil. The blood flowing through his veins also flowed through Voltaire's. The small scars that littered his skin were each a symbol of how every punishment from Boris had brought Kai one step closer to being exactly what Boris wanted.  
  
Kai felt as if his hands, his very soul, were contaminated with something that could be removed. He couldn't help but hate himself, how impure he felt he was.  
  
He couldn't stop feeling so tainted. It was as if there was still something inside of him, something he couldn't put his finger on, that kept him that way...  
  
***  
  
Night had fallen now, casting everything into its shadows. Kai looked up at the dark sky for a moment, but made no other movement.  
  
He knew the darkness; it had hidden him in its folds many times. Hiding him, offering safety. But it also hid other things, dangerous things. The darkness that so readily offered him sanctuary was willing to turn on him whenever it got the chance. Then, later, it would return, leaving Kai in a cycle he hadn't had control over.  
  
All darkness was the same, no matter how you looked at it. It was like him, unable to pure itself, unable to come forward and have its shadows washed away.  
  
The darkness was Kai, tainted for all eternity.  
  
Kai clenched his hands into fists, eyes narrowed in disgust towards himself. It wouldn't matter how much he changed, how much he tried to make up for past incidences, his hands were stained. They would never wash clean.  
  
In his own eyes, he would always be tainted.  
  
And Kai hated himself for that.  
  
Forcing himself away from the subject, Kai allowed his mind to wander as he got off the railing, walking back into the room. The air was warm against his slightly cool skin, making goosebumps rise a little. Kai could hear the sound of the TV blaring in the next room. He could only hope it wasn't a horror movie, or he'd have to put up with a bunch of sniveling children that couldn't sleep and, inevitably, be too tired to train tomorrow.  
  
Children... Yes, that's what they were, a group of children who, unlike him, could live under the fantasy that the world was wonderful and perfect. Well, okay, maybe he was exaggerating a little... Maybe.  
  
Kai sat cross-legged on his bed, closing his eyes a moment.  
  
He certainly didn't expect to see a pair of glowing, red eyes glaring at him from the darkness, or hear a familiar screech. Much like Dranzer's but much, much sinister.  
  
Garnet eyes flashed open in a flash, and Kai gasped for moment. His panting subsided as he scanned the empty room. He must have dozed off and had a bad dream... Yes, that was the explanation...  
  
Satisfied, Kai turned around from where he sat to watch the dark night's sky through the window, wondering just how long the program the others were watching was. 


	2. Something Strange

TT: Well, here's chapter two!  
  
Kai: *reading through the script* Are you on medication?  
  
TT: -_-;; No  
  
Kai: -.- Then you should be.  
  
TT: You could be a little nicer, you know.   
  
Kai: I don't _do_ nice!  
  
TT: Good, you're in charater for the chapter!  
  
Kai: Wha- no!!  
  
TT: *shoves Kai* Now get out and do the chappie!  
  
Kai: *struggling* No! I refuse!!  
  
TT: I have dranzer.... *holds it up*  
  
Kai: O_O How did you get that?!  
  
TT: I have my ways... *thinking* 'I bought it at Kmart...'  
  
Kai: *growls* fine! *storms off*  
  
TT: ^^ Thank you to everyone who reviewed. And now, the story!  
  
Disclaimer: What do you think?  
  
***  
  
Kai awoke early the next morning, the others still sleeping soundly. Or, as soundly as you could sleep with Tyson's snoring.  
  
Wiping the sleep away from one eye, Kai got out of bed, gathering his clothes and other toiletries and wandering to the bathroom for a shower.  
  
***  
  
Kai. Now washed and dressed, walked into the kitchen, glancing at the clock on the wall before walking over to the fridge. He wasn't hungry, but he never was. And if he didn't eat, then the others would get worried about him and would never give him a moment's peace again.  
  
Having come to this conclusion, Kai closed the fridge and proceeded to make himself a piece of toast. He was just finishing it when Ray stumbled in sleepily.  
  
The raven-haired boy got the milk out of the fridge and poured himself a glass before turning around to see his captain. "Wha- Kai?"  
  
"Hm?" Kai finished his toast, before getting out of his seat and walking towards the hotel room's door. Feeling Ray's eyes boring into the back of his head, he sighed and turned back to his teammate, "I'm just going out to train, quit staring already."  
  
***  
  
Kai had been training for about an hour before going to get the others for training. Ray was already up, watching the TV as the others slept. Max and Kenny were woken up easily, going out to have breakfast.  
  
Tyson however...  
  
After much yelling, growling, threatening and frustration, Kai settled for an old favorite. Collected a bucket, he filled it with cold water and dropped the water on Tyson.  
  
Evidently, however, the water was still warm from the others showers, because he didn't wake up.  
  
So, with a slight fury that wasn't like Kai's usual frustration, he hit Tyson over the head with the empty bucket.  
  
Tyson woke up and, by the time he was finished screaming at Kai's retreating figure, he was too wound up to go back to sleep.  
  
Which meant it was time for breakfast.  
  
Eventually, thanks to Kai's 'persuasion skills', they were all outside at the beyblade dish. Training or, in Tyson's case, pretending to train while daydreaming about food.  
  
"Hey Kai, I'll go against you." Ray offered.  
  
Kai looked at Ray, then nodded. Just as he released his blade into the dish, a pair of red eyes opened inside his mind again, and his world went black.  
  
Kai's blade speed headlong towards Ray's almost as soon as it hit the dish, attacking with force that was unnatural for the crimson-eyed blader. It was as if Kai was trying to destroy Ray's blade, not knock it out of the dish.  
  
Ray frowned, making his blade spin away from his opponents, only to have the dark blue blade follow his own with, once again crashing into his with a disturbing amount of force.  
  
This wasn't Kai's style. The other blader usually tried to knock his opponent out of the dish as quickly as possible. But instead, Kai was attacking Ray's beyblade, then spinning to the other side and attacking again so that he couldn't be knocked out of the dish.  
  
"Kai, what are you-?" Ray cut himself off as he looked at Kai. He was staring down, totally absorbed by the battle.  
  
But his eyes weren't crimson like they usually were. Instead, they were black and void of any sigh of emotion.  
  
"Kai?" The other blader gave no response of even hearing him, eyes still fixed on the beyblade.  
  
Ray frowned, he wasn't sure what was wrong with Kai, but there was defiantly something wrong with him.  
  
But first he had to stop him from destroying his beyblade. Calling out his bitbeast's name, he watching as the white tiger rose up, letting out a roar.  
  
Kai's eyes widened slightly, his blade glowing red, as if he were summoning Dranzer. But nothing happened.  
  
The blue beyblade spun away as Drigger's blade changed direction, intending to attack Kai head-on at his next attack.  
  
The two blades spun around the dish, crashing into each other time and time again with unsettling power. Still there was no sign of Dranzer.  
  
Finally, Drigger had managed to take the advantage, crashing into the other beyblade and sending it flying into Kai's waiting palm.  
  
Kai stared down at the blue beyblade with dark eyes for a moment, before blinking rapidly. When they reopened the darkness was gone, his eyes red once again.  
  
Kai frowned in confusion. What had just happened? Last thing he remembered, he had been just about to launch Dranzer, now he had the beyblade in his hands, looking slightly beat up.  
  
"Kai-" He looked up to see Ray next to him, "What did you think you were doing out there?"  
  
Confused, Kai choose to say nothing.  
  
"Ray's right, Kai. I mean, what were you thinking? You almost destroyed Ray's beyblade!" Tyson frowned as Kai continued to stare blankly at the blue beyblade in his hand. "Well, anything to say for yourself?"  
  
"..." Kai couldn't believe it. Had he really tried to do that? No, he couldn't have, he couldn't have... "...I don't remember..."  
  
Tyson grabbed Kai by the shoulders, shaking him, "What do you mean you don't remember?! How can you not remember trying to total Ray's beyblade?!"  
  
Kai shoved Tyson's hands off him, giving Tyson a glare that was void of its usual fire. Instead, it was trying to hide the distress and confusion in his eyes. "I told you. I don't remember."  
  
Eyes narrowing into a darker glare, Kai turned and walked off, scarf trailing behind him. The glare disappeared from his face, leaving behind an expression of upset confusion as he disappeared around the corner. 


	3. WHAT THE!

TT: Hello everyone!  
  
Kai: I think they're going to kill you for taking to long now. ^^  
  
TT: ^-^;; Hehe, yeah. I'm SOOOOOOO sorry about that! Its just that I go to school in 4 days and thats kinda zapped my inspiration.  
  
Kai: For a short time, I was actaully happy.  
  
TT: Anyway, because of that, this chapters really short too. And, as I've said before, I'm not really sure where I'm going with this, sooo...  
  
Kai: Humor her, or send her to an asylum- hopefully the latter.  
  
TT:o_0 No, don't! I only just escaped from my old one!  
  
Kai: ...That explains so much.  
  
TT: Kai, if you continue to be mean, i'll have to send you to Ice-Queen giftwrapped!  
  
Kai: O_O You wouldn't?!?  
  
TT: ...Nah, I couldn't do that to you... *glomps*  
  
Kai: -_-;; *sighs* I guess its better than Ice-Queen. *shudders*  
  
TT: ^_^ I'm glomping Kai!  
  
Kai: -_-; Shouldn't you be aplogizing for confusing all those readers?  
  
TT: Oh yeah! Sorry it confused you all, but it was supposed to do that! ^^;; *chuckles nervously*   
  
Kai: -_- Such an exellent excuse.  
  
TT: Kai, you're being mean again! T_T  
  
Kai: Whatever. Now let go of me!  
  
Disclaimer: If TT owned beyblade she'd probably have never stopped glomping Kai long enough for a scene to be shot.  
  
***  
  
Kai didn't want to believe it. He almost refused to believe it. He couldn't even remember the match, how could he have tried to destroy Ray's beyblade?  
  
But then again, what would they have gained from lying to him about it? Kai knew that it wasn't the sort of thing his teammates would joke about.  
  
He shook his head, rubbing the bridge of his nose as he felt an incoming headache. He felt so confused.  
  
Kai remembered the red, glare of those eyes, which seemed to have pierced into his soul; it was the last thing he could remember before the battle...  
  
Not on his own accord, Kai shuddered.   
  
Instinctively, Kai reached into his pocket for Dranzer. The metal was warm from the bit beast's heat. But, Kai noted, with worry, that it lacked the warm tingly feeling that Dranzer usually gave out.  
  
Kai frowned in concern, "Dranzer...?"  
  
***  
  
"What was Kai thinking, doing that to Ray's blade? And then he just walked off like that!" Tyson paced the room as he shouted.  
  
"Tyson, you don't need to yell, we can hear you."  
  
"It was strange," the others looked at Ray, who was frowning at some invisible spot on the floor, "Afterwards he honestly didn't seem to remember what had happened."  
  
The others were silent, remembering how Kai had reacted when Tyson had so subtly informed Kai of his actions. Ray took this are the go ahead to continue.  
  
"Besides, you didn't see his eyes during that match. You should've seen them, they weren't Kai's eyes, they were... they were..." Ray trailed off, unsure how to explain it.  
  
There was silence as the others processed this. One by one, the same thought entered all their heads, 'What the heck is going on?'  
  
After a while, Kenny spoke, "Anyone know when Kai will be back? We should talk to him about this..."  
  
"You know him, Chief, he's disappeared and there's no way we'll be able to find him."  
  
"Or you might look out the window and discover that he's at the beyblade dish, two stories down outside, training."  
  
The others blinked for a moment, then ran to join their friend on the balcony. Sure enough, their missing teammate was below, launching his beyblade into the dish.  
  
***  
  
Kai had wandered around for a while; still disturbed by the lack of response he was getting from Dranzer. It was as if she wasn't there, but Kai could still feel their bond, so it couldn't possibly be that...  
  
After a while, Kai returned to the hotel. He had gone up the stairs and had come to the door of his room before stopping at the sound of his friends' voices. Not in the mood for confrontation, Kai had gone back downstairs and outside.  
  
Deciding what he really needed to do right now was clear his head and think things over, Kai went over to the beyblading dish. Perhaps it was something left over from his abbey days, but the sound of a beyblade spinning always helped him think.  
  
Kai found, however, that he didn't really want to contemplate why he had suddenly backed out during the beyblade match, or the violent temperament his beyblade had taken. He just wanted to forget, to pretend it had never happened.  
  
So instead, he began to focus on his beyblade, making it go through all its routine attacks and moves.  
  
Then he decided to call for Dranzer again, to see if the phoenix would actually respond.  
  
Mentally, he called out Dranzer. There was no response, the beyblade spun in the middle of the dish, but there was no sign of the bitbeast.  
  
Frowning in worry, Kai called out again, more forcefully this time. Then, he called out Dranzer's name out loud.  
  
The bit chip glowed,,,  
  
Kai stared up at the bitbeast for a moment, gaping as the blood drained from his face, before fainting.  
  
***  
  
The others, from where they stood higher up, watching as Kai stared at his blade, frowning. He seemed to be focusing on something, but from their position they couldn't tell what. Finally, Kai said something that was lost in the wind before they could hear it.  
  
Below, the bit chip glowed before the phoenix rose out from it...  
  
A dark phoenix. 


	4. Doubts

TT: *asleep on the keyboard*  
  
Kai: She's been at school for three days... THREE DAYS! And it seems that it has not only zapped her energy, but her insparation as well.  
  
TT: Zzzz... But mum, FLB's supposed to feed the cats today... zzz....  
  
Kai: -_-; Right... Needless to say, she won't be updating very often for a while. Just dont' ask me whether it will be a short while or a long while...  
  
TT: Zzz... Ooo, reviews *drools slightly* yay... *snores quietly*  
  
Kai: Who knew she talked in her sleep... For the note, I sell videos of this moment, for blackmail purposes only. If you're interested, email me and I'll send the the prices- be warned, they're not cheap.  
  
TT: *mumbles* Ooo, Kai, you don't hate me after all! ^^ *glomps Kai in her sleep*  
  
Kai: O_O;;; GET HER OFF! GET IT OFFA ME!!!  
  
TT: *wakes up* Huh? What? Where's the fire... I like fire...  
  
Kai: Let go of me!  
  
TT: Ooo, I'm glomping Kai! ^_^ *glomps harder*  
  
Kai: *turns blue*  
  
TT: Oh, alright... *lets go and falls back to sleep*  
  
Kai: Thats it! I'm out of here! *tries to run, but gets choked by his scarf because TT's clutching it tightly and won't let go* x_x  
  
Disclaimer: ...Zzzz...  
  
***  
  
The BladeBreaker's stared with a mixture of shock and horror as Black Dranzer rose up from Kai's beyblade, unable to turn their gazes away from the sight in front of them.  
  
The bitbeast gave a cry, and for a moment stared right at them- piercing into their souls- before in a flash of black it returned to whenever it had come from.  
  
Down below, Kai stirred, getting to his knees and holding his head with a groan.  
  
***  
  
Kai wasn't sure what happened, one moment he was trying to call Dranzer out of it's beyblade, the next he was laying on the ground with a bad headache. '... What happened?'  
  
He froze as a string of memories came back to him... He'd being trying to call out Dranzer... but the phoenix hadn't come... Instead, Black Dranzer had suddenly appeared out of his blade... What had happened after that?  
  
Kai could remember, just after Black Dranzer appeared, he'd felt so exhausted that he didn't think he could stop himself from falling... In fact, he had fallen, but he must have become unconscious before he hit the ground.  
  
Black Dranzer... How on earth had the bitbeast come to him? He didn't even have Black Dranzer anymore! He couldn't feel a bond with the dark bitbeast either, or any other sign that would indicate a link of any sort.  
  
So where had Black Dranzer come from? Kai didn't know, he couldn't explain it. There was no explanation for why Black Dranzer had suddenly appeared when it had.  
  
Still, it did explain why Dranzer hadn't come out. Was this why Dranzer wasn't responding to him? Because of a link with Black Dranzer?  
  
Kai found his thoughts going in circles, but receiving no answers or explanations to his questions. He frowned, brow creased, as he continued to ponder these thoughts for a few more moments. Still he was unable to come up with any reason for the strange turn of events.  
  
Kai ran his hand down his face, wishing he could believe it was some kind of dream. But, no sooner than he had considered than he remembered the last time he had suffered severely from such nightmares, and almost immediately took it back.  
  
Getting to his feet, Kai glanced up towards the balcony window that was attached to his team's rooms. There was no sign of the others as far as he could tell. Had they scene Black Dranzer appeared from out of his blade? Were they even there at the moment? Deciding to try and think positively for once, instead of assume the worst, Kai pretended to believe they knew nothing of what had just happened.  
  
He just couldn't make himself believe that. Maybe he was paranoid, or maybe his life had been so full of disappointment he had learnt to never get his hopes up, or maybe he just knew his team, but he had a suspicion they already knew what had happened.  
  
If that was true, then what was his team going to say? How long would they be nagging him for answers he didn't have? How long would it be before they left the subject alone?  
  
He could answer the last one: Too long. Knowing them, far too long.  
  
Kai turned his attention back to the dark blue beyblade lying innocently in the dish in front of him. Dranzer's chip sat in the beyblade. There was nothing to suggest anything was even wrong except that the chip didn't seem to have that slight glow Kai was used to seeing from it.  
  
Giving a slight sigh and picking up his blade, Kai walked off, not heading anywhere, but just trying to get away from it all.  
  
***  
  
"You did see that, right? I'm not seeing things, am I?"  
  
"No Tyson, I'm sure we all saw Black Dranzer come out of Kai's blade." Kenny answered, watching the other teen pace the room.  
  
"I mean, how did Kai even get Black Dranzer anyway?? And we all know his beyblade, it has Dranzer's chip in it, not Black Dranzer, and I doubt Kai could have switched them without our knowing-"  
  
"Should we be worried that Tyson's turning blue?"  
  
"No, he'll breathe eventually. He has a point though, where did Black Dranzer come from?"  
  
The others were silent, no one had an answer.  
  
"Do you think that Black Dranzer's the reason that Kai's been acting so strangely lately?" The others turned to Ray.  
  
"I'd say so, I would explain it, at least." Kenny said thoughtfully after a moment.  
  
"Hey, you guys, do you think that Kai knew he had Black Dranzer, and that he called it out on purpose? I mean, its kind of hard not to know what bitbeast you have..." The others turned to Tyson, looks of horror and disbelief on their faces.  
  
"No way, Tyson! Kai would never do that. Not after last time."  
  
"Max is right, Kai knows better than to go back to Black Dranzer."  
  
"I know guys! I want to believe that too, but... But I can't help but wonder..."  
  
The others continued to argue, trying to make themselves believe, truly believe, that Kai would never do such a thing. Trying to ignore that little voice in the back of their heads that was saying 'Maybe...' 


	5. Confusion

Kai: Well, she finally did it, she updated. I hope you're all happy- BECAUSE I'M NOT!  
  
TT: *collapsed into an exhuasted pile on her bed* I can't move...  
  
Kai: So, this is the result of your shcool, hmm?  
  
TT: Yeah, thats right...  
  
Kai: Can I get them to keep you even longer?  
  
TT: A risk the wrath of all those reviewers wanting updates?  
  
Kai: I can write the story!  
  
TT: You? Write a Kai-angst?  
  
Kai: ...  
  
TT: That's what I thought... *sighs* ARG!!! WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE SO SLAGGIN' HOT?!?!?!!  
  
Kai: Because its summer?  
  
TT: Oh yeah, Maeris? I don't really listen to bands... Just whatever I find on the radio or whatever sounds good...  
  
Kai: Yep, she's a freak alright.  
  
TT: If you weren't such a bishie, I'd hate you at times.  
  
Kai: Oh yeah, MasterFranny? You're right, she is an alien! LETS SEND HER TO A GOVERMENT BASE FOR STUDY!!  
  
TT: What?!  
  
Kai: You're consious again, go back to school.  
  
Disclaimer: Now really, if I owned beyblade, I wouldn't _NEED_ a education.  
  
***  
  
Kai didn't know where he was going. No, he knew where- nowhere. He didn't want to end up anywhere. He was just wandering with absolutely no destination in mind.  
  
Because if he stopped walking, he'd have to think about what just happened.  
  
Kai didn't want to think about what had happened. He didn't want to accept that Black Dranzer had come back, and that Dranzer wasn't here to save him this time. He didn't want to desperately wonder where Dranzer had gone, or how Black Dranzer had appeared in his blade without the creature's bitchip.  
  
Most of all, he didn't want to return to the nightmare. The dreams that had haunted him under the influence of the microchip that Boris had put him in... He didn't want to think, even consider, they might be becoming a reality.  
  
But when the seeds of doubt have been sown, how can you stop them growing?  
  
***  
  
The rest of the BladeBreakers were now staring at the TV, none of them really paying attention to what was on. They were all distracted, with good reason.  
  
Should they go look for Kai? Even if they did, no one knew that to say to him at the moment. They hadn't ended their argument well, simply refusing to speak to each other for the time being.  
  
It was Ray who finally broke the silence, "Okay, so lets ignore what Tyson said, and assume that Kai _isn't_ a traitor. What do we do?"  
  
For a moment, no one spoke, "I don't know."  
  
"Where do you guys think Black Dranzer came from?"  
  
"I'm not sure Tyson... Do you think Kai can resist it this time?"  
  
"Even if he can't, we don't know where it came from, so how can we get rid of it?"  
  
Another pause, then Tyson leapt to his feet, "That's it! I don't know where Kai is, put I'm going to find him and sort things out!"  
  
"Hey Tyson, wait for us."  
  
The BladeBreaker's left the building in search of their friend, and the TV droned on...  
  
***  
  
Kai was now sitting in a park. Up a tree where no one would bother him, to be exact. For a long time, he had simply sat there, staring at his beyblade with no clear expression on his face. Now he was taking interest in the scars that could be seen on his forearm. Many similar scars, some of which were actually much worse, covered most of his body. Some had been there for years, other were much newer, after his experience with Boris and Voltaire during the nightmare incident.  
  
Strangely enough, he couldn't remember everything that had happened to him during this time. He supposed he should be grateful, what he did remember had been painful, but having lived most of his life without remembering the abbey, then having the memories return so suddenly, it always bothered him when there were unexplained gaps in his memories.  
  
But Kai figured, with a sigh, that he was just being paranoid. He traced the cars on his arm lightly, trying to keep his mind on anything but the problem at hand. He found, however, that his attempt was unsuccessful.  
  
"Kai? Is that you?" Voices from below broke his silence; He looked down at his teammates.  
  
"It is you! Man Kai, we were worried! We saw Black Dranzer come out of your blade and-"  
  
Kai stopped listening, his blood running cold for a moment; a single though ran through his head 'they know.'  
  
"And, hey Kai, are you even listening? You're not, are you? Come on Kai, talk to us, we're worried!"  
  
"What for?" Internally, Kai wanted to wince at the coldness in his voice, but he couldn't deal with the others, their worry and suspicions at the moment.  
  
"You know what for! What happened there, Kai? How'd Black Dranzer get into your blade?"  
  
Kai didn't say anything. What could he say? He didn't know either, and he still hated showing weaknesses such as that.  
  
"Kai? Kai? Hel-lo, Kai? Talk to us!"  
  
"There's nothing to say."  
  
"Sheesh, someone got up on the wrong side of the bed... Come on Kai, at least come down, my necks getting sore from looking up at you."  
  
Still Kai couldn't will himself to say anything, but he jumped out of the tree, turning around to face them.  
  
For a moment Tyson didn't say anything, just stared into Kai's blank eyes. Then he grinned, "Man Kai, I was worried about you for a moment there. Well, I'm still worried about you but..."  
  
"Just get to the point, Tyson."  
  
"Hey cool it Kai, Tyson's just trying to help."  
  
"..."  
  
A sigh, "Look, lets just go back to the hotel, we can talk about it there, okay?"  
  
"Fine."  
  
***  
  
In the end, however, they found that Kai was more than reluctant to talk about the event that was concerning them, and they settled for watching TV again. Kai, on the other hand, was sitting on his bed, staring at an invisible mark on the floor. He was trying not to think about the way Black Dranzer had appeared before him that day, but couldn't focus on anything else. He just felt so lost. It were as if his life was caught in some kind of strong current and was being pulled by it without any idea where he was heading.  
  
Briefly, he closed his eyes, in a last attempt to think of something else.  
  
A pair of glowing eyes opened at the back of his darkened mind, staring right into his soul. For a moment, Kai felt as if something was trying to suppress his conciseness...  
  
Kai's eyes, wide with horror, opened in a flash, and for a moment he sat there, his breath coming out in slight pants.  
  
He moaned slightly, putting his head in his hands, "What's happening to me?" 


	6. Oddities

TT: I FINISHED CHAPTER SIX!!!  
  
Kai: I thought you were doing that essay on Shakespear's 'The Tempest'?  
  
TT: *sweatdrops* I do have to do that still, don't I...  
  
Kai: *nods*  
  
TT: Ah, it can wait. At least this way you didn't see what I wrote!  
  
Kai: O_O WHAT?!?! *Shoves TT off the computer and reads the new chapter* O.O X_x  
  
TT: ^^ Yep- KAI ANGST AHEAD!!!  
  
Kai: DIE!!!! *Tackles TT and attempts to choke her to death*  
  
TT: *gasp**cough* Someone- help! *choke**wheeze*  
  
Disclaimer Guy: ...*back aways and holds up a sign reading 'HELP!!!'*  
  
***  
  
Days past, and Kai avoided the subject of Black Dranzer as much as possible. He didn't train with the others, and avoiding being with them as much as possible. Why? Because his pride wouldn't let him admit he needed help.  
  
And too top it off; The nightmares were back... the very realization made Kai tremble and want to weep in frustration. He wouldn't, of course, he never cried.  
  
On the plus side, the nightmares weren't anywhere near as vivid as they had been, and they focused more on Black Dranzer than on... other, more upsetting memories. But, no the less, he woke up halfway through every night trembling, eyes wide and face pale.  
  
As a result, he was only getting half a night's sleep every night. Enough for him to function on, but left him feeling tired and worn out.  
  
It was in this state of mind that, late at night- or rather, very early in the morning, that Kai was training in the darkness. Beyblading was sometimes the only thing that could help him focus on other things, and clear his head from his problems even for a little while.  
  
It was during this time, however, that the dark cloud began to waft over his mind again. His thoughts drifted away from his beyblade, and into memories he'd rather not relieve.  
  
So focused on the memory, however, that he didn't notice the way his conscious was slide into the back of his mind, giving way for something else.  
  
***  
  
Glowing red eyes, in a black mask, gleamed evilly at him. It was something he had long since learnt to hate, and fear.  
  
It was one of his most recent memories, and he hung from chains set in the wall, his chest bare and encased in dried blood. His head was lowered in exhaustion, his hair, stuck together with blood, covering his face. Through his hair though, he could still see those eyes staring at him, making chills run down his spine.  
  
A whip was held in Boris's hands, and before a few seconds had gone past there was the continuous sound of it cracking against Kai's skin, until blood poured down in rivets.  
  
Kai bit his lip, refusing to cry out, not enough noticing when he punctured the skin into the taste of fresh metallic blood filled his mouth.  
  
An evil laugh made its way to his ears, and the whip was finally put aside. More footsteps... Then another voice, the voice of his- no! He couldn't think of that... of that monster, as his grandfather! He wasn't like him, he wasn't...  
  
Kai couldn't focus on what the were saying to each other. His eyes, one almost swollen shut by a massive bruise, stared at the floor, their feet just inside his vision.  
  
One set of feet came closer, stopping in front of him. He cried out in pain, his head lifting in agony as a knife was brought down roughly on his torso, neat cuts welling up with blood next to the rougher marks that torn at his skin.  
  
Finally, the pain stopped. The knife was brought up to his face, Voltaire tracing it along one cheek, not cutting the skin, but leaving a line of blood from the knife in his wake. Kai shuddered at the look in Voltaire's eyes as the blood ran down his cheek and dripped off his chin.  
  
Voltaire backhanded Kai once, watching as his head slowly cam round to face him again, hanging so low his face couldn't be seen behind the curtain of bloodstained hair.  
  
Voices, then footsteps as Voltaire left the cell.  
  
For a moment, Kai thought Boris had gone as well, but then he felt the knife, the same one Voltaire had been using moments ago, be plunged into his forearm and roughly twisted from its spot, blood pouring from the wound as muscles torn and wrapped around the knife. The knife was then pulled out of the wound, the blood still puring from it as if it were a fountain.  
  
Until his voice cracked from his yelling, Kai hadn't even been aware he had been screaming. Now his voice was all but a painful, hoarse whisper, a primitive whine of pain.  
  
Then his head was roughly yanked to the side by his hair, and the voice spoke in his ear, the stench of bad breath nearing Kai's nose, "This is your own fault, you know Kai. You chose to be weak, to care and depend on those- those- those children. And look now, they left you, they're not coming for you, and you're stuck here... with... me!"  
  
The hand holding his hair flung him back roughly, and he hit his head on the wall. He heard Boris walk out of the cell and his footsteps fade down the hall before he rose his head. Finally he was alone, if just for a little while.  
  
Panting, Kai let his head droop again and groan. Maybe Boris was right, but he couldn't believe his teammates had abandoned him just yet...  
  
Kai's eyes wafted close as he fell into a peaceful oblivion.  
  
***  
  
Kai's eyes snapped back into focus. For a moment, he wasn't sure where he was, then he realized he was in his hotel room… standing near Ray's sleeping figure... With Drigger in his hand...  
  
Kai dropped the foreign beyblade back onto the desk as if it had been made of hot coals. He shook his head, walking backwards all the while.  
  
Confusion coursed through his mind as he suddenly turned and bolted out the doorway, all but slamming the door behind him.  
  
Kai leant against the wooden surface, panting for a moment in horror. What had happened? And _why_ did he have Drigger in his hands a moment again, fingers around the bitchip like that?  
  
Kai glanced back at the door as he left the aparement. He didn't know where he was going, but he couldn't stay there at the moment... He couldn't face the others, not while he was so confused himself.  
  
Silently, Kai left the hotel. He looked around through the darkness for a moment, before picking a random direction and walking, his scarf trailing loyally behind him as he tried to walk away from all his problems.  
  
***  
  
Lying under the kitchen table, unnoticed to all, a familiar face was printed on a newspaper, under the heading of 'Wanted Criminal Escapes From Prison.' 


	7. Reminising

TT: Another chappy- angst content is rising!  
  
Kai: You're SUPPOSED to be doing 'The Tempest', considering you still haven't done that.  
  
TT: Ah, but whats the fun of torturing Prospero when you're so much cuter?  
  
Kai: O_O *uses death glare of death*  
  
TT: *hides*  
  
Kai: She's gone! ^^  
  
TT: *reappears* Anyway, to Ellen: I have NO intention of continuing any of my oneshots. Why? Because I have absolutly no plot whatsoever for them.  
  
Kai: You don't for this either.  
  
TT: I have a vague idea.  
  
Kai: you're 'vague idea' is explaining whats happening to me, nothing else!  
  
TT: And to Syaoran-Lover- I'm not sure where they are! @_@ I've confused myself.  
  
Kai: That can't be good.  
  
TT: Now... What else? Oh, does anyone know where I can demand for beyblade showbags? In time for tomorrow when I go the the royal Canberra show? No? Darn... T_T  
  
Kai: You know, you do have a lot of tests and assignments right now... Can you just completely forget about the fic, just for a little while?  
  
TT: *gasps* A leave my reviewer's like this for a long time?! Never!  
  
Kai: ... *super death glare*  
  
TT: *closes eyes in time to aviod it*  
  
Disclaimer Guy: *looks over* *gets hit with Kai's glare* AHHH!!! THE PAIN! THE PAIN!! *dies* X_X  
  
TT: ...NOW who'll do the disclaimer?! Oh, and review!!! *turns away to scratch her head while looking at the corpse*  
  
***  
  
Ray sleepily opened his eyes, blinking in the early morning light. Sitting up, he scanned the room. The bed opposite from his was empty and didn't look as if it had been in slept in.  
  
He strained his ears; unable to hear anything to indicate anyone else was awake.  
  
Getting to his feet, Ray wandered through the rooms, no sign of Kai. He stood on the balcony, looking down at the beyblade dish, which was also empty.  
  
Amber eyes narrowed, where on earth was Kai?  
  
For a moment, Ray contemplated looking for him, but dismissed the idea. Kai was impossible to find if he didn't want to be. Especially when he was upset and disturbed by something, like he was now.  
  
How could the others even consider that Kai was a traitor? It was so obvious to Ray that not even Kai knew what was happening. He could see the flash in Kai's eyes- the one that disappeared almost instantly- that Kai was just as worried as they were about to appearance of Black Dranzer.  
  
And now Kai was gone again, disappearing for who-knows how long. Ray wished he could help, but when you don't know what's happening, what can you do?  
  
Seeing no other option for the moment, Ray walked over to the couch, picked up a book and began reading while waiting for the stoic blader's reappearance.  
  
***  
  
The two-tone haired teen was walking along the edge of a river now, hands thrust deep into his pockets as he sped along the bank without any destination. The first light of morning was beginning to appear over the horizon, and there was complete silence except for the sound of the river.  
  
Freezing in his spot suddenly, Kai took his hands out of his pockets and stared at their palms. They were trembling.  
  
He didn't know why, but all at once he was lost in the memory of when he first launched Black Dranzer. He suddenly remember how he hand cut his hand on that glass as he went after it, how a small drop of blood and ran across the bit chip as he had stared at it in complete awe, feeling the pure power radiate from it.  
  
His breath had caught in anticipation as he had put it into his launching, the way his mind had screamed in dark delight at the power that had been felt as he launched it.  
  
Then there was the sudden jolt of reality as he felt something sinister try to snake its way into his mind. How, in a panic, he had resisted. The feeling just grew stronger, breaking through his defenses.  
  
The feeling of evil desire that had flooded through his senses at that moment had made him want to scream, and he fell to his knees as his strength was stolen from him.  
  
Then Black Dranzer had appeared and...  
  
Kai shook his head desperately, his hands clutching at his head through his hair as he banished the memory from his mind.  
  
Now faded, Kai lowered his wavering hands again, before he glared daggers at them and shoved his fists back into his pockets.  
  
There was a slight growl in Kai's throat as he continued to storm off, still following the river away from the sun rising in the east, ignoring the chills that suddenly ran down his spine.  
  
***  
  
A masked face watched the teen wander further away from his teammates. The malevolent grin faded, replaced with a look of pure hatred as he scowled at the boy. It had been delightful to watch as his composure slipped for a moment- it reminded him so much of the way the mask had broken and left him trembling under his hand. But he couldn't spend his time reminiscing; he had a revenge to plot...  
  
Despite his decision, the monster couldn't help but let his eyes glaze over as he remembered, the pure evil on his face enough to make a demon shudder in disgust.  
  
***  
  
Kai leaned forward in his restraints, coughing as the blood spurted from his lips. Boris watched impassively at the display of weakness. Before, finally deciding enough was enough, he walked forward and delivered a slap that sent the boys head flying to the side.  
  
Slowly Kai turned his head back, staring at Boris with an exhausted sort of defiance, just daring him to do his worst... again.  
  
Boris smirked, giving Kai another hard punch in his already heavily wounded stomach. Crimson eyes widened a little as his empty stomach once again threatened to empty itself of whatever bile was in there.  
  
Within a few moment Boris was wiping the flecks of blood off his hands. Kai leaned back against the wall, eyes tightly closed as he obviously tried to will everything away.  
  
Yellow teeth could be seen as Boris grinned. He leaned forward, watching Kai tense as his fingers reached the back of his neck and brush over the tiny antenna that was seen there. "Go ahead Kai, try to escape. It won't work, I'll be waiting for you, both in you're dreams and here." He mocked quietly, watching as Kai froze at the truth in the statement.  
  
Chuckling to himself, Boris stepped back, admired his handiwork for a moment, then stepped out of the cell.  
  
He closed the door and waited. Once Kai imagined he was gone, he heard something that made his grin go from evil to something much worse.  
  
It was very quiet, almost no existence, but it was there. The sound of Kai's sobs. He could imagine the tears that streamed down the youths face at the hopelessness of it all, the knowledge that he was at Boris' mercy, and that there was so much worse Boris would do to him yet.  
  
Boris' smirk turned triumphant as he walked down the hall until Kai's cries were no longer heard.  
  
After Ka had held out valiantly for out so long, it had finally happened at his hands.  
  
Kai was broken.  
  
*** 


	8. Possession

TT: *waves*  
  
Kai: Well, TT is sick, and her throat is so sore that it hurts to swallow... Like FLB, I'm going to scoff.  
  
TT: *scowls*  
  
Kai: I'm very happy that all sorts of work is making this fic progress slowly. TT, however, is not.  
  
TT: *has about 29 throat losengers*  
  
Kai:... I hope those have side effects.  
  
TT: *hoarsely* Be quiet Kai, or... Or... Agh, my brain is too fuzzed up to make threats.  
  
Kai: Imagine what this chapters going to be like!  
  
TT: Okay all, I want to thank everyone who reveiwed. Its because of you I keep wracking my brain for more ideas.  
  
Kai: In case you're an idiot and missed it, that was a hint.  
  
TT: And there's really not much else for me to say, except that I still need a new disclaimer person... and ideas? or voulenteers?  
  
Kai: Please ignore the fact she can't spell.  
  
TT: That's why spell-check is my friend! ^^ *winches* ow, my throat...  
  
Kai: Its not fair, she can't talk, but she can write!  
  
TT: Review people. TT like reviews. Reviews make TT happy.  
  
Kai: ...Get me out of here.  
  
TT: *pushes Ray in front of crowd*  
  
Ray: Err... TigerTerror doesn't own beyblade? *mumbles* I'd hate to think what the series would be like if she did...  
  
***  
  
Something was wrong. Kai could feel it, the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end in the knowledge.  
  
He span around, red eyes scanning the area. Nothing...  
  
"Ah, so good to see you again, young Kai."  
  
Kai froze, completely and utterly still, his blood stopped in his veins, he held his breath and his brain shut down. It couldn't be, it just couldn't!  
  
That was the last thought that went through his mind before he completely panicked, hiding himself into a dark corner of his mind and making way for something else to take control.  
  
***  
  
Boris watched in fascination as Kai's eyes filled with fear, a sight that he adored, before they turned glassy, then black.  
  
He watched as 'Kai' spun around, darkened eyes piercing into the spot he was for a moment, eyes narrowed and harsh beyond anything Kai had ever displayed, before, with near impossible speed, he turned and ran.  
  
Boris smirked slightly, lost in musings, staring at the spot Kai had been. Curious, he had come to the conclusion that his little 'experiment' hadn't worked...  
  
It seemed he had been wrong.  
  
With a dark chuckle, Boris turned and walked away, concealed in the shadows as early risers began to come out. "Soon, young Kai, soon."  
  
***  
  
Kai, a young child, curled into a loose ball in a corner, head buried as he sniffled slightly, trying to make sure his arms, which were wrapped around his legs, didn't touch the painfully fresh markings on his face.  
  
It wasn't so much the markings themselves that made him cry, but what they symbolized. It was that which made him weep in despair.  
  
He'd been helpless, so incredibly weak, he couldn't even stop them from branding him!  
  
And these tattoos were forever going to remind him of that. If he let his guard down, if he displayed emotion, he'd become weak. And if he was weak people could, and would, hurt him.  
  
Which is why he couldn't be weak, why he had to always train harder, endure worse punishments, become perfect.  
  
A door opened. Wiping his eyes, Kai looked up at Boris, before getting to his feet. Crimson eyes were narrowed, refusing to be weak, denying the fact he'd been branded, claimed.  
  
With an evil smirk, Boris began.  
  
***  
  
"Still no sign of him, Ray?" The teen in question looked up at Tyson from where he sat on the couch.  
  
"I'm afraid not, Tyson. I'm worried, do you think something may of happened to him?"  
  
Tyson looked thoughtful for a moment, putting his arms behind his head, "Maybe... But I think he just doesn't want to see us, you know how the sourpuss is."  
  
Ray nodded, "Yeah..." He paused, before asking the question that was gnawing away at his mind, "Do you really think that Kai's a traitor, Tyson."  
  
"I don't know, Ray. I just know that he took Black Dranzer willingly before, and there's nothing stopping him being just as willing this time... But after that incident with Boris before-" Tyson spat out the name in undisguised revulsion. "- I'm not sure what to think anymore..."  
  
For a while, there was silence. Then Tyson spoke again, "Come on, grab your beyblade and we'll train, then Kai can't yell at us when he comes back."  
  
Ray smiled, nodding, "Sure." He got up and walked to his room to get his beyblade.  
  
Ray frowned in worry, it had been on the center of the desk last night, and he knew that it wouldn't have been able to roll off.  
  
But it wasn't there now.  
  
A desperate concern for Drigger, one he had had ever since he had lost the bitbeast once, welled up inside him, and he looked around frantically for the beyblade.  
  
After only a few seconds, he found it a few feet away, lying upside down. Relief washed over him as the teen picked up his beyblade, studying it for damage, only to find nothing. How had it gotten all the way over there?  
  
Tyson stuck his head through the door, "Hey Ray, you ready?"  
  
Ray nodded, following Tyson out to the beyblade dish.  
  
***  
  
Fire, smoke, people screaming. Kai's mind swimming, his body swaying, never felt so weak before.  
  
Black Dranzer staring at him, into his soul, feeding off him, using him.  
  
More screaming, so much chaos. Somewhere behind him, a wooden support frame fell to the ground, burning.  
  
Kai couldn't take his eyes off the dark phoenix, until it finally torn its gaze away, intent on destruction.  
  
Kai's eyes slowly left the bitbeast, to stare at the harmless seeming object spinning underneath it, the bitchip glowing black.  
  
His eyes froze on the chip, staring numbing as he made out the drop of blood that still clung to it.  
  
Sound again, sirens, screaming... Suddenly aware that he had no energy left in him whatsoever, Kai fell to the ground unconscious, the phoenix returning to its blade at the same moment.  
  
***  
  
Ray and Tyson called out their bitbeasts, watching as they fought. The thrill and adrenaline of battle keeping unwanted thoughts away.  
  
Grinning at each other for a moment, they cheered their bitbeasts on. After what seemed to be an age, one blade was knocked out of the dish.  
  
Blinking in shock, Tyson retrieved his beyblade, turning to Ray, Drigger still spinning. "No way, how'd you do that?"  
  
A fanged smirk, "When you attacked that last time, you left your defense wide open!" He explained to his friend.  
  
A dark blue blur landed in the dish, not hesitating to attack the first beyblade. Ray and Tyson turned frantically in the direction it had come from. Sitting in a tree nearby, launcher out, stood their team captain, face expressionless as his blade attacked Ray's ruthlessly.  
  
For a moment, they both gaped, the third teen leaping out of the tree and walking towards them, his beyblade still attacking without mercy.  
  
Tyson found his voice first, "Kai! What are-..." His voice broke; trailing off, and he heard Ray's breath hitch for a second as Kai stared straight at them.  
  
His eyes, usually crimson red, disguising insecurity, eyes that revealed Kai's true emotions to them, if only through a faint flash, were dull and faded. Kai wasn't there, something else was instead. And how those eyes looked, harsh and glaring with pure hatred chilled Tyson to the core.  
  
The colour had long since faded, leaving nothing but an empty void of emotionless black. 


	9. Questions and Answers

TT: Well, I'm still sick, but at least I can talk now!  
  
Kai: Which means you can take that english oral.  
  
TT: O_O I forgot about that.  
  
Kai: She was too busy doing cartwheels... or trying to.  
  
TT: Know why? ^__________________^ BECAUSE YOU ALL GAVE ME ONE HUNDRED REVIEWS!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU ALL!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Kai: SO you know what she did?!?! Thanks to _you_, she made an extra long chapter! AND ITS FULL OF KAI TORTURE!!! YOU PEOPLE ARE CRUEL!!!  
  
TT: Now Kai, be nice to the reviews, because I love reviews! (hint hint) Now go give them gifts!  
  
Kai: *grubles* why am I doing this? *is handing out chocolate figure of the beyblade characters*  
  
TT: Now everyone, I'd like to remind you that I'm winging this fic! Oo; So review any suggests, all are helpful, even if I don't obviously use them.  
  
Kai: *Is sulking in a corner eating the rest of the chocolates*  
  
TT: And I still don't have a new disclaimer person, because Kai scared them off. So... Kai can do the disclaimer!!  
  
Kai: What?! No! You can't make me! You don't own me!  
  
TT: I would if I owned beyblade...  
  
Kai: *grumbles* *quietly* TT doesn't own anything, not even her computer, that's her dad's...  
  
TT: ^^;; FIC TIME!  
  
***  
  
It is a well known quote that 'eyes are the gateway to the soul'. Neither Ray nor Tyson ad ever truly understood how true that was until that moment when they stared into Kai's blackened eyes.  
  
What they saw in there was is describable, there was such a deep hatred and loathing in them, not to the duo but to the world in general, that made them shudder. But it was more to it than that. It was the way the eyes bored right into them, as if trying to suck their souls out through there eyes. It was in the compelling intensity that stopped them from turning their heads away.  
  
And it was the hint of something else in there, something that didn't belong there, as if it were owned by someone else. A tiny, single sparkle of some pained sorry lurking beyond reach, as if the thing trapped inside there was only seen to mock them.  
  
As the three stared at one another, two in shock, the other without emotion, the two beyblades continued to clash together.  
  
***  
  
Kai wasn't sure what was going on anymore. He'd been jumped from painful memory to pain filled memory, occasionally stopping on a nightmare of visionary fear.  
  
Now he was surrounded by darkness. It wasn't the pure and safe darkness night brought, it was cold, hateful sort. He floated in it, almost as if he were ever falling but couldn't see the bottom, and there was no wind.  
  
He couldn't see anything. No, that wasn't right, he could see himself, but that was all. It was like an empty void. But at the same time, it was filled with something. It were as if the darkness was more than just the absence of light here.  
  
Kai continued to muse over this thought. Simply because there was nothing else for him to do here. He wasn't sure how long he'd been there, how long he was to stay, or why. He didn't understand any of it, but, of course, he'd never admit that.  
  
Then, all at one, the darkness surged, just for a moment, it surged towards him like a live thing. Then it stilled.  
  
Garnet eyes were wide as he stared around him, suddenly terrified to the core of his soul. He didn't know what that had been, but he knew that he couldn't fight it. And he didn't want- whatever it was- to defeat him, either.  
  
The darkness surged again. This time, it lunged upon him, and slowly began to cover him. It was thick, gooey, and slowed his motion. But when he tried to fight, his fist went straight though it. After all, there was nothing there, it was just darkness.  
  
Like a coat of slick oil, Kai was covered in the darkness, and he squeezed his eyes shut as they covered his face as well. For a moment, it felt as if he were been torn apart and feasted on, then, nothing at all.  
  
***  
  
Ray caught his beyblade as Dranzer knocked it out of the ring, evidently tired of trying to bring out the opposing bitbeast. The raven-haired boy hid Drigger in his chest as he stared at what had once been Kai.  
  
For a second, those dark eyes glowed with a shadowy light.  
  
"Kai?" Tyson called out, not sure what else to address the possessed boy as. "What do you think you're doing??"  
  
Holding out his hand, black eyes turned to look at Tyson as the beyblade landed in the waiting palm.  
  
Tyson shivered, but willed himself to keep yelling, "Who are you?? And what did you do with Kai?!?" His demands were greeted only by silence. Growling, Tyson looked ready to run over and shake the teen for answers, but some intelligent part of his mind stopped him.  
  
For a moment, gazes were held for a moment longer, then darkened eyes glanced down at each of the bitbeast containing objects one at a time, before, in a flash of white scarf, he ran off, disappearing.  
  
For a moment, neither Tyson nor Ray moved. Then Tyson turned to his teammate, "What just happened?"  
  
Ray stared at the spot Kai had been a moment longer before shaking his head, "I really don't know, Tyson."  
  
***  
  
As a wanted fugitive, Boris obviously couldn't go walking around the street looking as he normally did. So, staying in his rented hotel room on the opposite side of town was his normal habit, and wearing concealing clothes when he did go out.  
  
Unable to go out often, of course meant that he needed to have all his 'work' with him. Which is why a laptop and many CDs rested on the desk, other scientific equipment littering the floor, with weapons lying in strategic places.  
  
Currently, Boris was cursing the fact he didn't have his original computer with its massive memory space. Because looking for a single CD amongst thousands is very difficult.  
  
The scene earlier that day had proven that his final 'experiment' before Kai's escape had been a success, despite his previous doubts. He wanted to go through all the information and review, to try and understand why the 'delay' had taken place.  
  
It was a rather simple scheme, but difficult to carry out. When it became obvious that Kai was not going to work willingly for them, a normal person would have been- ahem- 'disposed of'.  
  
However, Kai was not a normal human. Years and years of training and experimentation had taken place to make him as perfect as a human could possibly be. Neither Boris, nor Voltaire, was willing for all that effort to go to waste.  
  
So, after a little examination, and small experiments, they decided to control Kai by another method. The process was slow, and Kai's memory had to be carefully wiped after each time. Eventually, they had finished, only to discover that the project had, supposing, been a failure.  
  
Needless to say, Boris was delighted to find it wasn't. It had taken a lot of effort, time a resources to mold Kai's soul and essence with Black Dranzer. With Black Dranzer in control, the plan was to keep the bitbeast in control, and control Kai through him. After all, Black Dranzer was smart enough to know that power was the key to everything, and Biovault was- or was it, had been?- more than capable of giving the dark phoenix all the power it wanted, should it only work for them.  
  
Boris found a single CD in his pile and, with a laugh that would make the coldest heart shudder and cower, inserted the disk and began to go through his information. Perhaps there was hope for the project after all.  
  
***  
  
Exhaustion...  
  
Once again, Kai found himself in the dark abyss, a slick and almost shiny coat of shadow covering his body like a second skin. He was curled into a ball this time, eyes closed, utterly exhausted, as it every last once of energy had been sucked out of his body. He was too tired to fight against the darkness around him again, despite knowing what it could do, and instead embraced it as a shelter, a safe haven from the painful visions that plagued him nearly every moment.  
  
In a suddenly flash, the darkness around him was gone. The only proof it had ever been there was the shadow that still covered him. Instead of darkness, he saw memories, flashing before his eyes faster than he could blink, then, all at one, the scene around him changed.  
  
Realizing his eyes were closed, Kai opened them again, only to find he was chained to a wall in a cell, every part of his body aching and dripping with blood... again.  
  
A hand, he didn't know who's anymore, came up, punching in right in the nose. It was a near miracle that it hadn't broken.  
  
The hand covered his windpipe suddenly, cutting off his air supply. Kai choked, gasped vainly and began thrashing. All that happened was the nails of the hands dug into his skin, small rivets of red blood becoming visible. Kai's moving slowed, black spots appearing in front of his vision. Then, air, glorious air suddenly filled his lungs again, and Kai was left gasping and choking, desperately trying to recover before the next attack.  
  
For what seemed like hours, Kai was pushed to the brink of desperation, clinging my a taunt thread that threatened to snap at any second.  
  
Then, for a short time, the torture stopped. The person in from of him watching as his head slumped forward and his body struggled to heal itself in whatever way it possibly could so that it survived.  
  
A needle was injected into the skin, and Kai's vision went completely black. He wasn't sure how long he was out, but when he recovered, his body felt even more exhausted than before. Still he hung, chained on the wall.  
  
Someone was in front of him... Kai rose his head, garnet eyes focusing on the black mask and seemingly red eyes that glimmered with an immoral joy.  
  
And, as the torture began once again, Kai found himself wondering why on earth he shouldn't just give up. 


	10. Broken

TT: O_0 I wrote this?  
  
Kai: Yes, you did. _  
  
TT: *rereads* WAHHHH!!!!!! *Bursts into tears* HOW COULD I DO THIS TO KAI!!!!!!!  
  
Kai: There now, she's done something so angsty that she'd crying, and its all about torturing me. Is everyone happy?!?  
  
TT: You shoukd reconise the last scene from somewhere in the fic... Different point of view though...  
  
Kai: *sarcastic* ...Yay...  
  
TT: And to all my reviewers- I LOVE YOU!!! Everyone review, and tell me any ideas for the fic you might have! Every little idea helps, you know!  
  
Kai: ... I'm not going to say it...  
  
TT: And no, I don't think they'll be any Tala in this fic... so... Tala can do the disclaimer!  
  
Kai: O_O  
  
Tala: 00 Why am I here??? @_@ *is confused*  
  
TT: *hands Tala a piece of paper* Do the disclaimer, cause me being sued is not nice.  
  
Tala: TT does not own beyblade... or A current disclaimer guy?  
  
TT: Read and REVIEW!!!!!  
  
  
  
***  
  
The BladeBreakers, minus their captain, sat in silence. Tyson and Ray had just finished explaining what had happened before, and now an awkward pause filled the air.  
  
Tyson and Ray were suddenly trapped under that sinister gaze again, if only in their minds, and simultaneously they shuddered.  
  
The Max and Kenny stared at the table they were sitting at, trying to process what their friends had said. Kai was... not Kai? How was that possible? And he, no, _it_ wanted their bitbeasts?  
  
Finally, unable to take the unnerving silence any longer, Tyson spoke, "So... What do we do now?"  
  
Not even the chief had an answer.  
  
***  
  
Yellowed teeth rose into a satisfied smirk. At least now he had the answer to why Black Dranzer hadn't responded earlier.  
  
It was almost painfully, obvious, Boris reflected now he had the answer. The phoenix used the blader's own strength, so when it and Kai's souls had been fused, it needed to use Kai's energy to take control. However, that's the to -ahem- 'lesson' Boris had given Kai, there hadn't _been_ any energy for Black Dranzer to use.  
  
That didn't, of course, explain why Black Dranzer hadn't taken control earlier. Boris guessed that Kai had little subconscious shields around his mind, keeping Black Dranzer away from his mental strength. When Kai had seen him, however, the shields had dropped when he, in panic, had tried to retreat into his mind, thus giving the bitbeast the opportunity to take over.  
  
Meaning that 'phase two' was finally complete. Boris grinned at the thought, idly reflection back on 'phase one'.  
  
***  
  
Kai, chained to the wall, painted in his own blood, trying not to give in and burst out weeping. Boris was sure that's what he was trying not to do. He got points for stubbornness.  
  
It was a shame he didn't have any more time to 'play'. Boris had thought, but nonetheless he had been smirking as he filled the needle with the liquid.  
  
Injecting the chemicals into Kai, it took only a few minutes before they went into effect and Kai was unconscious. Boris had him untied and taken to one of the labs that lay underground with the cells.  
  
Kai was tied to a large metal table, eagle spread, with needles and wires hooked up to his body at all possible points. In a large, liquid filled test-tube near the table, also attached to wires and needles, was the physical form of Black Dranzer, also unconscious.  
  
At the bottom of the test-tube, wires around the bitchip, was the black beyblade. The wires were hooked up to a large computer, which in turn led more wires to where Kai lay.  
  
With a slight nod from Boris, it began. You could almost see the dark energy move from Black Dranzer through the wire, into the computer were it was reprogrammed- ever so slightly- so that it wouldn't cause Kai's body to spontaneously combust. As painful as that would be for Kai, it was be rather pointless considering.  
  
The dark energy that was a part of Black Dranzer soul then was 'implanted' into Kai's own. All and all, Boris imagined that the entire process was rather painful, considering that it drove Kai back to the point of nearly regaining consciousness, the powerful sedatives the only thing keeping him asleep. Boris would imagine that Kai would remember these periods as if he were awake, but wouldn't be able to remember what happened in them.  
  
One good thing about him being unconscious, Boris reflected, Kai was unable to resist the screams that tore from his throat and echoed through the room. They were all but echoed by the muffled screech that Black Dranzer gave, also in pain as a part of the creature was taken and placed into the new body.  
  
  
  
Before long, however, the process stopped, and Kai was returned to the cell to 'recover'. They couldn't fuse the two all at once; Kai's body and mind wouldn't have been able to handle that. So, it was a slow process going.  
  
All at once, Kai stirred and woke up, completely unaware of what had just happened, and didn't have time to wonder as Boris approached him once again.  
  
***  
  
Kai had given up trying to understand what was happening to him. He was shoved from one painful scene to another, apart from the few times he was floating in the dark abyss he found himself in now.  
  
He'd begun to like it there, floating in darkness wrapped in the shadows, it felt safe. At least, it was safe compared to what else had happened to him in this... place.  
  
Which is why, when he felt the familiar tug, he tried to cling to the quiet darkness desperately, only to be pulled away.  
  
***  
  
Leaning forward in the restraints, Kai coughed, blood rising up from his aching chest. Somewhere in front him was Boris, but Kai didn't pay any more attention to him until he suddenly received a sharp slap that send his head flying to the side.  
  
Waiting until the stars disappeared from in front of his eyes, Kai slowly brought his head back round, ignoring the ache in his neck. He stared at Boris, weary, tired, in so much agony. But he couldn't give up, just yet. Boris had done his worst before, he could do it again... right?  
  
Boris gave him a dark smirk, and before more than a few minutes had passed, Kai leaned back against the wall, hoping to ease the tension out of his aching limbs and take some of his support. He kept his eyes closed, once again wishing it could all be a dream.  
  
Boris must have known what he was thinking, because he brushed his fingers over the antenna to remind him of it, and whispered in his ear, "Go on, try to escape. It won't work, I'll be waiting for you, both in you're dreams and here." The man was mocking him, but Kai couldn't deny the truth in the statement.  
  
Kai listened, eyes still closed, as Boris chuckled to himself and left.  
  
For a moment, Kai was completely quiet. He wasn't going to get out of here, his friends weren't coming to get him, and Kai knew that he wouldn't be able to hold out forever... The pointlessness in resisting had finally gotten to him and, despite his own wants, Kai lent his head forward and wept.  
  
Once he started crying, he couldn't stop, for a different reason. Because Boris had won, he had won and he, Kai, had been broken.  
  
Footsteps, walking down the hall, confirmed his belief, they both knew it. Boris had won, and Kai had lost. 


	11. Fighting

TT: *bows head* you must all hate me.  
  
Kai: *chanting quietly in the backgorund* Say yes! Say yes! Say yes!  
  
TT: But I've been having a lot of trouble writing anything at the moment, and I'm sorry this is taking so long. And I really would appreaciate ideas, even the simplest or worst can sometimes help kill the writer's block.  
  
Kai: Why aren't you being crushing by a block this time?  
  
TT: You were told to be nice!  
  
Kai: Whatever...  
  
TT: Anyway, I'm sorry this is taking so long... really I am... Please reviews, because it's nice to know people like my stories.  
  
Kai: Don't review! Leave her in depression!  
  
TT: In other news, my friend K J Taylor may be getting published soon! I'm so happy for her! ^_^ If you want to see her work, the site it www.opifex.org  
  
Kai: You're advitising for her here?  
  
TT: Hey! She doesn't know I'm doing this! I just think people should see her work!  
  
Kai: Yeah, sure.  
  
TT: Oh, and we have a new disclaimer guy. So I'm going to go and break my leg so I don't have to do the beep test now.  
  
Disclaimer guy: If TT owned beyblade, she could get a FAKE cast so she didn't need to do the beep test.  
  
TT: So true... *nods*  
  
***  
  
When the BladeBreaker's went outside, they found the possessed Kai waiting for them, arms crossed and glaring at them, on the other side of the dish.  
  
"Kai!" The BladeBreaker's ran towards him, but stopped when their teammate pulled out his loaded launcher, holding it in front of him and waiting.  
  
The BladeBreaker's paused, looking at one another helplessly. It was obvious that Kai was still under some sort of control, both by his actions and the eerie expression that haunted his eyes.  
  
The glare intensified as 'Kai's' patience began to run out. A quick glance at his teammates, and Tyson stepped up, loading Dragoon in his launcher.  
  
Swallowing hard, it was Max who counted down, "Three... Two... One... Let it rip!"  
  
***  
  
Kai floated in the darkness, curled into a ball, eyes closed against the tears that wanted to escape. He wanted to ignore his humiliation, to pretend it had never happened, he wanted to pretend Boris hadn't won. But he could do that, the dreams wouldn't let him, his shattered pride wouldn't let him...  
  
Boris wouldn't let him.  
  
***  
  
Boris cackled, mentally patting himself on the back as he watched the battle via one of his newly installed cameras.  
  
The loudmouthed one was somehow managing to battle and try to appeal the Kai at the same time, while his friends stared in a sort of hopelessness, sometimes shouting encouragement, sometimes trying to get Kai to 'snap out it'.  
  
As the bitchips glowed, Boris grinned, wishing that his camera had sound so that he could hear what was bound to happen next.  
  
***  
  
The possessed one's pupils constricted, as if an a silent command, and Dranzer's bitchip glowed. First it glowed red, then slowly the red changed to black.  
  
And with an almighty screech, Black Dranzer rose from its counterpart's beyblade. The others gasped, apart from Kenny who let out a terrified cry. The phoenix turned to stare at them, it's piercing gaze almost identical to the one that Kai wore.  
  
"Kai! Snap out of it!" Ray was the first to begin pleading as the two bitbeast began to fight. "Please Kai, I know you're in there somewhere."  
  
Dark eyes slowly turned their gaze on Ray's, staring at him with a deep loathing. But, for a moment, Ray was sure he saw a flicker in the abyss...  
  
***  
  
Kai was still curled safely in the darkness when a voice, wavering and distorted, as if being heard through quiet water, broke through,   
  
"Kai! Snap out of it!"  
  
'Ray...?' Kai moved slightly, uncurling a little, but never opening his eyes.  
  
"Please Kai, I know you're in there somewhere."  
  
'Ray, what are you talking about?' His body felt heavy, as if the last of his strength had been sucked out of him.  
  
"Kai, snap out of it dude!"  
  
'Tyson?' He knew the loudmouth's voice anywhere, but why could he hear them here, wherever 'here' was?  
  
"Come on Kai, I know you can here us!"  
  
And Max as well... What was going on, or what they were talking about, Kai didn't know.  
  
"Kai, please..."  
  
Slowly, ever so slowly, Kai opened his eyes to the darkness. Those eyes that were at the back of his mind were in front of him, glaring as if he'd been disobedient. Kai wanted to cower and hide, but he didn't. Instead, he stared directly into the dark depths.  
  
Through the eyes, Kai could see Tyson, standing on the opposite side of a beyblading dish, both their beyblades battling. Behind Tyson stood the others. They were speaking, calling things, but it were as if he'd gone deaf, he couldn't here them.  
  
Then Kai looked up...  
  
Dragoon... Fighting with... Black Dranzer?!  
  
In a flash of panic as Kai remembered before, Kai struggled against the darkness, and this time, he seemed to be winning. A red glow surrounded him, pushing the darkness back.  
  
But there was pain, an unbelievable amount of pain. Kai found himself screaming in pain, unable to hold in the yell as he collapsed to his knees, head in hands.  
  
And, muffled, by the scream, he heard his teammates call out to him.  
  
***  
  
Kai could hear them, the BladeBreaker's were sure of it. None of them had missed the flicker of normal garnet that had abruptly been replaced by the darkness again. Desperately, the appealed to Kai. And the top it all off, Dragoon was obviously loosing the match.  
  
Then, all at once, Black Dranzer let out a shrill shriek of fury, flaring its wings as it was abruptly dragged back into the beyblade.  
  
Before anyone could blink, and scream was heard, and they turned back to their captain, to find him on his knees, hands clutching his head and hair, screaming in pure agony before he fell silent again, arms now in front of him as he panted, sweat dripping off his forehead and nose.  
  
Crying out his name, they ran to their friend reaching him just as his arms gave out.  
  
Helping his exhausted teammate to his feet, Ray spoke soothingly to him, "Kai, what happened?"  
  
Seemingly delirious, Kai's nonsense answer was "Black Dranzer... Boris... Chip, darkness..." followed by a quiet groan as he leaned more heavily on the dark-haired teen, eyes closed and brow furrowed.  
  
***  
  
Boris let out a roar of rage, throwing a nearby bottle into the wall, where it promptly shattered and the pieces fell to the ground. Breathing heavily himself, a growl rose in the back of his throat, "So, young Kai, you beat your new soul partner in this battle for control, but I'm betting you can't hold him off forever." All at once, the rage seemed to lift, and Boris was left chuckling manically as he rewound the video, once again watching the dark, gating eyes that were Black Dranzer. "After all, you are one now. And there's nothing you can do about it." 


	12. Truth

Kai: Yes, TT knows that she has not updated this story very well, but...   
  
TT: *Is somewhere under a large, rock writers block that is completely covreed in homework trolls*  
  
Kai: She's been busy... AND SHE STILL HAS TWO ASSIGNMENTS TO GO THAT SHE'S BARELY STARTED!  
  
TT: I know that! Don't remind me.  
  
Kai: She has, however, updated in time for easter... Sunday...  
  
TT: Give all the nice reviewers their chocolate bitbeasts, already!  
  
Kai: -_-'' Fine. Review and you get an extra chocolate bitbeast. Flame and I get to eat your chocolate for you... SO FLAME HER TO OBLIVION!!!  
  
TT: Kai has a sweet tooth? @_@  
  
Kai: A new, almost angst filled chapter for you, written on the very furst day of her easter holidays... Be happy, because I'm not.  
  
TT: HELP ME!!!!  
  
Disclaimer guy: How did I end up with these wackos... JUST GIVE HER BEYBLADE SO I CAN LEAVE!!!  
  
***  
  
Kai slumped heavily onto the couch, his mind trying to process what on earth had happened. He felt so drained... Evidently the shadows that he had felt suck him dry hadn't been as much as a dream as he would have liked.  
  
Kai hated being so confused, it made him feel weak to know so little about what was happening. All he knew was that it had something to do with Black Dranzer, and he was relieving his memories again, like when he had the chip inside of him.  
  
Oh, and Dranzer seemed to be gone too...  
  
It was the thought that the phoenix that had stuck by Kai through so much had disappeared so suddenly, that made him want to weep. But, of course, crying was for the weak, and Kai wasn't weak.  
  
His mind was still spinning at a hundred kilometers per hour, trying to make sense of the jumbled information he had. He wasn't sure what to think; he just didn't know what was going on.  
  
What he did know, however, was that his body wasn't completely his own anymore.  
  
***  
  
An angry hiss, so close, so close to the power the other bitbeast possessed! But the vessel had to wake up, to take control at that moment, how it had done it was impossible to guess, but it had happened.  
  
Until the vessel was distracted like before, possession would be near impossible...  
  
With an angry sound, the shadow in Kai's mind retreated back to wait for an opportunity to reclaim control.  
  
***  
  
Taking a gulp of the powerful liquor in front of him, Boris contemplated. Black Dranzer had been able to take control of Kai once; the same thing could most certainly be done again.  
  
How to do so, however...  
  
The most effective action appeared to be the most dangerous. Let Kai find out that his soul had been fused with the dark bitbeast. No doubt, he would retreat and give Black Dranzer full reign once he knew what he was fighting.  
  
But to let them, to let Kai and his little 'teammates' discover what had happened. Well, they always did seem to have a habit of ruining any plans he might have.  
  
But then again, there was no way the process could be reversed this time.  
  
Perhaps it was the alcohol that did it, but Boris opened his computer and began to select and compile certain sets of data before he emailed them to a certain bitbeast-inhabited computer.  
  
***  
  
"He said that Boris was back!" the others had insisted Kai get some sleep, and were now talking in the living area, "We can't just let him walk free!"  
  
"Tyson, Kai's confused right now, he might have been mixing the present with the past."  
  
"I don't know, he seemed awfully positive about Boris' escape..."  
  
"Even if he has escaped, we wouldn't know where he is."  
  
"Uh, Chief?"  
  
"But we can't let him get away with- whatever he did to Kai!"  
  
"Kenny-"  
  
"I agree, and we won't, but we don't even know where he is."  
  
"Will someone listen-"  
  
"Kai was talking about the chip he had in him before, as well, remember? He's confused and not sure what's real and what's not."  
  
"WILL YOU ALL LISTEN TO THE BITBEAST, ALREADY!!!"  
  
Simultaneously, or near enough to it, the four heads shot up to the laptop, who's screen was flashing irritably, "Sorry Dizzi..."  
  
"As I was _trying_ to tell you, there's an email here you might want to see."  
  
"What?" They gathered round as Kenny's fingers flew over the keyboard, brining up the email.  
  
'BladeBreakers,  
  
I'm sure your all wondering what is wrong with you 'dear friend Kai' or whatever it is your weak hearts have dubbed him as. I'll tell you, Because I'm curious to see how you'll handle it, and allow me to assure you, I'm watching your every move.'  
  
In between this and the next line, there was an attachment, which Kenny clicked, a visual program coming up.  
  
Kai, lying eagle spread on a cold, metal table, wires attached to his body. On the other side of the room, was Black Dranzer in a tank.  
  
By some unseen consent, everything began to work at once. The wires seemed to glow, and you could see... whatever it was, moving from one being to the other. Kai's body was surrounded by a near-invisible dark, crackling energy; something that they knew shouldn't be there.  
  
Evidently it was painful, because, even in the soundless tape, the could see the unconscious one scream until his voice cracked, then keep on screaming.  
  
Then, all at once, in a final burst of energy that caused their vision to become white, it seemed to be over.  
  
The machines were all turned off again; Kai was silent, almost disturbingly calm in his unconscious state.  
  
Black Dranzer had completely disappeared.  
  
The program turned itself off, and they continued to read the email, stirred by desperation to know what was wrong, what they had just seen.  
  
'Kai is no longer Kai,.. Or perhaps rather, not just Kai. His soul has been fused with Black Dranzer, they are one.  
  
Now, just be a good group of BladeBreakers and let Black Dranzer reign supreme in his new body, would you.  
  
Boris.'  
  
There was complete silence, and all of them were sure they could hear Boris laughing as dread filled their hearts.  
  
A strangled gasp made them turn.  
  
Kai's face had become ashen, and he looked about to faint in pure horror.  
  
The others weren't sure how long he had been there, but, as his eyes flashed back and forth from black and red, is was obvious he had been watching long enough. 


	13. Control

TT: A NEW CHAPTER HAS RISEN FROM THE DARK PLACES OF ANGST IN MY MIND!!  
  
Kai: Feeling dramatic, are we?  
  
TT: Everyone should be happy, because this chapters a little longer than most of mine.  
  
Kai: When she gets inspired, she doesn't stop... How I hate her for it.  
  
TT: I'm still going to need ideas people, like, Kai & BD can be seperated.  
  
Kai: BD? You've given Balck Dranzer a nickname.  
  
TT: Well, its too long to write his whole name in my little self-insertion-before-the-chapter-paragraph... thing-y  
  
Kai: Amazing how technical a name she has for this, isn't it?  
  
TT: Oh be quiet!  
  
Kai: Why? There isn't anything you can do to me that you haven't already.  
  
TT: I could make a door attack you...  
  
Kai:...  
  
TT:....... READ AND REVIEW!!!!!  
  
Disclaimer: I shall conquer the world! And THEN I SHALL own beyblade!!!  
  
***  
  
Kai had woken up after a short nap and, disturbed by the silence, had gone to see what was going on. He'd found the others staring at something on Dizzi, and had followed their example, taking a look at what had left them speechless.  
  
He hadn't expected the video, or the email that went with it. It was obvious the experiment must have taken place when he had been captured; his appearance in the video was too old to have been at any other time.  
  
He had been fused with Black Dranzer? The ultimate temptation in his life, the dark power he had to struggle so hard against to resist when they were two different entities.  
  
And now they were one and the same?  
  
He let out a strangle sound in denial, stepping backwards. The others turned to him, expressions surprised, not knowing he was there.  
  
Then he felt it, a shadowy tendril that tried to pry its way into his mind... No, not his mind, it was something else, his mind was just in the way.  
  
Impulsively, Kai struggled against the feeling. The sound of Ray talking to him suddenly made him jump. It was suddenly harder to focus, he just wanted to shut everything out, to ignore the world and the truths that had been revealed.  
  
Or was that Black Dranzer speaking?  
  
The sudden revolution was what made him suddenly run into the bedroom, closing and locking the door, before sinking to the floor in a ball. He leaning on the wooden door, clutching his head as the tendril, cold and seductive, continued to pry away at the edge of his control.  
  
Perhaps what scared Kai most was that a part of him wanted to give in to the powerful force that was Black Dranzer.  
  
Yes, he wanted Black Dranzer's power, but at the same time, he knew how horrible that power was.  
  
His own desire for Black Dranzer scared him.  
  
Deep down, it truly scared him.  
  
***  
  
"Kai! Open up!" Tyson's banging on the door was evidently pointless, and he finally gave up when he accidentally hit the doorknob instead of wood.  
  
Max looked at Ray, blue eyes full of worry, "He'll be alright, won't he, Ray?"  
  
The older teen didn't answer. What could he say, really? He could barely comprehend what he had just begun to understand, what had just happened. How could Kai be okay after what they'd just discovered?  
  
In the background, there was the rapid typing of keys as Kenny tried to track the email. Then, all at once, Tyson began pounding on the door again.  
  
***  
  
Fear, horror, confusion, repulsion. The emotions surged through Kai, and dark eyes opened from where they lay, half dormant, in the back of his, no, _their_ mind.  
  
He was distracted... With this in mind, a black tendril came forward, trying to pry the human away from their body's control.  
  
The human, however, held fast, resisting, and clinging to what the darkness had wanted.  
  
The was a frustrated hiss, and the tendril continued to spar with the human for control, for forcefully now.  
  
It would get what it wanted, one way or another.  
  
***  
  
No sooner than the darkness would slip past and grab it, than Kai would snap it back, and a furious game of tug-of-war would go on until Kai won. Then it would start over again.  
  
He wasn't really sure what they were fighting over, though he had a few theories of what it was. But he did know that it was exceedingly important that he kept it, whatever it was.  
  
In one way, he was grateful that Black Dranzer had started fighting with him. It took all his concentration to keep ahead of the dark phoenix, leaving no room to think of Boris, what he had done to him, or how much the others must hate him now.  
  
Of course, whenever he remembered who he was fighting, the thoughts started momentarily, and it was all Kai could do to push them away and keep on struggling while the thoughts bubbled out of existence.  
  
Black Dranzer was growling, Kai could hear it. It was a dark sound, that reminded him of his grandfather, the abbey, and Boris. It sent shivers down his spine, as he remembered those horrific things that stood out in his memory...  
  
And then he was forced to shove those away, as well, and take a harder grip on what he was fighting Black Dranzer for.  
  
A loud screech from Black Dranzer was suddenly heard, and the tendril attacked, not trying to take, what Kai now assumed was control of their shared body, but Kai directly.  
  
It hit him in the stomach, and Kai had to wonder where it had gotten so much force and momentum. It reminded him of the punishments in the abbey, they often started with a few punches that knocked all the air out of his body...  
  
Sounds from the outside world knocked everything back into proportion. Tyson had stopped banging on the door, and they were quiet whispers. These were followed by a sudden click and, before he knew it, the door was flung against him, sending him into the wall.  
  
Black Dranzer had retreated momentarily through this, leaving him uninjured by the attack. Kai was dazed and hurt now, unable to focus properly.  
  
He heard a shrill cry of triumph, and Black Dranzer shoved him forcefully into the back of their mind, leaving the phoenix in complete control.  
  
***  
  
"AAAHHHH!" The others looked to find Tyson had hit his hand on the doorknob, for the forth time. Tyson cursed softly to himself, "This isn't working!"  
  
"It didn't work the first time, or the second, or the third. Why should it work this time?" Max shook his head, "We'll just have to come up with another way of getting him to let us in."  
  
"Do you really think Kai will let us in? He seems to just want to be alone now."  
  
"I don't care what he thinks he wants! He's our friend and he needs us right now!" Tyson looked as if he were about to start attacking the door again.  
  
"You know guys..."  
  
"Tyson's right! We can't just leave him alone like this! He's got to know we're here for him all the way!"  
  
"Guys?"  
  
"That's right! So OPEN UP KAI, WE'RE NOT LEAVING YOU ALONE IN THERE LIKE THIS!!" This statement from Tyson was followed by him proceeding to attack the door with his fists again.  
  
Ray sweat dropped slightly, "I have a key?"  
  
The others stopped and looked at Ray, who held up the small silver key for them to see. "How'd _you_ get a key?"  
  
"Its my room too, you know. And considering what Kai's like, I figured it'd be a good idea to keep it on me."  
  
"Why didn't you tell us this before?"  
  
"I guess no one could hear me over all the banging."  
  
"Well, what are we waiting for?!" Tyson grabbed the key from Ray's hands and proceeded to put it into the door. Granted, he tried to put it in upside-down the first time, but he put it in the lock eventually.  
  
After finding out which way the key went, Tyson unlocked the door and lunged upon it, causing it to fling open with a vast amount of force.  
  
But the BladeBreakers concluded this may not have been a good move on Tyson's part. Because Kai was sitting just behind to door, and was flung to the side, his head hitting the wall with a thud that reminded Kenny of Tyson's fist on the door.  
  
"Kai! Kai, are you alright? I didn't mean to do that to you! Please don't kill me! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"  
  
As the BladeBreakers sounded Kai, the crimson eyed blader got to his feet, looking at the ground. Then, all at once, he looked at them, glaring. And they discovered his eyes weren't crimson at all, rather, they were the deepest black they'd ever seen. 


	14. Offers

TT: I'M SOOOOOOOO SORRY THAT THIS TOOK SO LONG!!!!  
  
Kai: comes in carrying a wrapped box She's had... difficulties... And writer's block was only one of them.  
  
TT: You see, my computer completely died! And its taken me so long to get my dad to fix it!  
  
Kai: That's her main excuse. dumps box in front of her Here you are!  
  
TT: Huh?  
  
Kai: Coffee Break started because I didn't give you a birthday present, so I'm giving you one this year!  
  
TT: Ignoring the fact that my birthday was on the seventh, and thats over a fortnight ago?  
  
Kai:... can we stop the fic?  
  
TT: Oh, but Kai, my reviews gave me over 150 reviews! I need to do this story for them!  
  
Kai: groans Why me?  
  
TT: Yes, here's why this chapter took so long- 1, the computer broke, 2- Birthday-  
  
Kai: She's 16, amazing isn't it?  
  
TT: - 3-Exams are in a week, and I've been trying to study-  
  
Kai: It hasn't helped.  
  
TT: -and 4... sniffs  
  
Kai: Her cat died, of kidney failure.  
  
TT: WAAAHHHHHH!!!!! Bursts into violent tears HE'S BEEN WITH ME SINCE I WAS ONE AND A HALF!!!!! AND NOW HE'S GONE!!!! WAAAHHHH!!!!  
  
Kai: begins to edge away  
  
Disclaimer: If TT owned beyblade, Kai would probably share a birthday with her.  
  
The BladeBreakers stood, completely frozen by the gaze of their possessed captain. Eyes narrowed, teeth bared and muscles tense, Black Dranzer was ready for a fight they weren't after. Even if Black Dranzer had attacked them, no one thought they could fight back, Kai was still in there somewhere.  
  
Max let out a sudden whimper, "I thought Kai was in control..."  
  
Ray and Tyson were silent, teeth gritted as the tried not to give into the despair and panic that filled their minds.  
  
The possessed one's eyes flicked around the room rapidly, never stopping for a moment, before he suddenly ran to the open window and jumped out.  
  
With a cry, the remaining teens ran to the window, calling out Kai's name as he landed neatly on his feet.  
  
There was a slight pause, and then the possessed one turned to look up at them with those narrowed, haunting black eyes, as if promising his return, and then ran off, white scarf trailing behind him.

The human was strong, both in body and in will, and had given Black Dranzer a hard time regaining control. Of course, the bitbeast would deny that last thought under torture.  
  
But a blow to the head had distracted Kai long enough for the phoenix to take control. Now Kai was stuck, once again, into the little dark place that had been designed for him.  
  
But the teen understood more now, he was struggling more. Black Dranzer couldn't risk battling the humans until Kai had calmed down. if he were to so much as glance at his teammates in this state, he might feel a new sense of resolve, or however it was humans worked.  
  
Which is why claiming the power of the other bitbeast would have to take place later. First, it was necessary for Black Dranzer to reinforce his control over his human counterpart. And that's all Kai was really, human, an exceedingly strong one, but still human.  
  
Currently, Black Dranzer was concealed amongst the bushes in the park. Avoiding everyone, but not hiding, no, Black Dranzer was far too strong to hide.  
  
There was a resulting somewhere deeper into the bushes. Spinning around, Black Dranzer came face to face with a masked figure.

Boris did nothing but smirk as he watched the expression on Kai's face. The alcohol seemed to have worn off quickly, leaving him laughing sadistically as Kai curled up into a fetal ball at the door. Kai was strong, but not strong enough to resist Black Dranzer, he was sure of it, Black Dranzer would win...  
  
A door attacking the teen, however, was perhaps the most unexpected thing to happen at that moment. Nonetheless, it was Black Dranzer that rose from the floor, not Kai. But the bitbeast didn't attack? Curious...  
  
Contemplating as to why the powerful phoenix had fled, Boris rose from his seat in front of the computer. Staggering slightly for a moment, the alcohol wasn't yet _completely_ out of his system; he went to meet the bitbeast, face to face.

"It is good to see you, Black Dranzer."  
  
The possessed Kai only tensed and hissed at the man's greeting. The bitbeast was all to aware of who the human was. And there was something niggling the phoenix at the back of its mind... Or perhaps it was Kai's mind.  
  
"No need to be like that." Boris was far too calm, it aggravated the phoenix. "I simply want to offer you a proposal, one I'm sure you'll accept."  
  
A growl, deep in the throat. Evidently, Black Dranzer didn't like weak humans being so sure of themselves.   
  
Boris didn't flinch, just continued to talk in his smooth tone. If he was intimidated, he hid it well. "I know what you want, Black Dranzer. You want power, the power of other bitbeasts, pure power." His eyes glinted as the possessed body gave a half-nod in conformation, "I can help you find them, can give you whatever you need to gain that power."  
  
Silence as Black Dranzer waited for Boris' side of the deal. Blackened eyes gave away nothing on what the bitbeast thought of the matter.  
  
Boris had to tread carefully here, if this came out wrong... Well, it just wouldn't come out wrong. "In return, we ask very little. We only want you to help us, aid us in controlling the weaker humans, so that Biovault can take its place as the ruler."  
  
What the bitbeast was thinking of as the deal was considered, Boris wouldn't know. He would never know that Black Dranzer was trying to work out what was wrong with the deal. He wouldn't know that Black Dranzer would suddenly got a flash of recognition, whether from the phoenix's own mind or Kai's. He wouldn't know that Black Dranzer would remember how Boris has tried to control him, control _them_. And he wouldn't know what it meant when the eyes of that form flashed completely black for a moment.  
  
He just knew that, with the power only a bitbeast can ever hope to have, a wave of dark energy came at him from no where, and Black Dranzer disappeared as the energy tore his body apart. He didn't have time to scream at the sheer agony that shredded through him. And then the energy faded, leaving only blood and a mangled, unrecognizable body where he had been.


	15. Submission

TT: I updated! Happy, my fans are??  
  
Kai: Shouldn't you be studying? Your exams start next friday!  
  
TT: ;; I just wanted to finish this...  
  
Kai: Grovelling for forgiveness?  
  
TT: nods Thats it exactly!  
  
Kai: How like you...  
  
TT: Oh, just let me say a BIG congrats to my friend Katie, who looks like she's getting published! Yay for her!  
  
Kai: Shameless link time?  
  
TT: No, but I will say that if anyone wants to read her stories, her site is www.opfiex.org And that I really recomend them!  
  
Kai: --'  
  
TT: Alright, bed time for me. yawns G'night all. REVIEW!!!!!!!!  
  
Disclaimer: Too sleepy... Read others...

Black Dranzer wasn't the only one running, Kai wanted to run as well. He wanted to get away from what he's just seen, as if, if he ran far enough, it would all be a bad dream. His mind seemed to be in shook.  
  
_He's dead! Boris, the only one who could possibly know how to get me out of this mess... He's dead!  
_  
The last word seemed to echo in Kai's mind in time with the pounding footsteps underfoot. As much as he loathed and hated Boris, to be torn apart like that-...  
  
Kai shuddered, curling into a ball in his mind. He'd _known_ what sort of power Black Dranzer possessed, but to use it in that way...  
  
And that was the sort of power he'd always wanted?! Kai couldn't think properly anymore, and the warm-seeming darkness around him coaxed him into a relaxed state. Finally, he curled himself up, hiding the flash of red light that suddenly appeared at him chest. Closing his eyes and submitting to the desire to let it all wash over him without a thought, Kai pushed away the knowledge that, despite everything, a part of him still exhilarated in the power he now had.

"I don't believe it! He's gone- again! And Black Dranzer's in control- again! And we don't know where he is or how to help him! How are we supposed to..." The rest of the BladeBreaker's had long since stopped listening to Tyson's repetitive rambling, instead staring at each other with similar looks of despair, anguish and helplessness.  
  
Finally, Max couldn't stand it any longer; he turned to Ray, staring at the older one in desperation- "Isn't there anything we can do? _Anything_ at _all_?!" Tears of desperation had appeared in the corners of his blue eyes.  
  
Ray sighed, "There's no way we'll be able to find him. And even if we did, we wouldn't know how to get Kai back in control. And only Boris could possibly know how to reverse what he- _it_- did to Kai." His amber eyes flashed, and he bared his fangs and growled at the thought of what Boris had done to Kai. He refused to think of Boris as a human, no human could possibly do what Boris had done.  
  
Max looked at the ground, trying to rid himself of the tears that were threatening to fall. Tyson had become silent and subdued, trying to comfort his friend.  
  
They remained like this for a few hours, the sun moving slowly across the sky until it caused something on the ground to flash in Ray's eyes.  
  
"What in the world?" He bent down to pick it up. Then, after glancing at it, he froze, eyes widening slowly in what seemed to be horror.  
  
"Ray?" The others finally noticed to expression on Ray's face, "Ray, what is it?"  
  
The dark haired teen opened his mouth to answer, but no sound came out. Finally, he gave up at that and simply held the object out in his open palm for the others to see.  
  
After identifying it, they froze almost in sync. Gazing at each other wordlessly with forlorn expressions.  
  
From where it lay innocently in Ray's palm, Dranzer's bitchip gleamed in the sun. Then, for a second, a faint red glow.

Kai knew what the dark abyss that surrounded him was, what it meant. But he couldn't bring himself to care that it allowed Black Dranzer free reign over their now-shared body. He couldn't find it in him to worry about what the dark being might do. And he couldn't bear to think about trying to fight against the soothing, warm darkness around him. Here, he could just drift, and forget everything for a while. Forget what was happening, forget what had happened to Boris… he could push it all to the back of his mind and not worry about it.  
  
He knew he shouldn't, but he couldn't help it. All his life, the darkness had been both a place of dark secrets, and a safe haven. Despite what he knew about, he couldn't help feeling safe where he was. For the first time in what seemed to be months, though it couldn't have been more than a few days.  
  
It was only when the memories started up again that he started to resist and struggle.

Utter darkness gave way to complete light, light so bright it was painful. It took him a few moments to realize that someone was shining a light into his eyes.  
  
The light was taken away, and Kai was left to blink rapidly as he tried to get used to the room again. He realized he was in a lab at the abbey. That meant he was going through one of the bi-monthly checkups. The scientists would do tests on them, to note their physical status and their improvement rates. You always had to feel sorry for anyone who didn't improve as quickly as the scientists wanted them to.  
  
For some reason, Kai was expected to improve his skills at an impossible rate. Which meant that if the scientists were giving him a checkup, he could expect Boris' treatment immediately after.  
  
Needless to say, he hated these checkups.  
  
It took him a moment to realize that he had been walking during these musings. No longer in the lab, he was walking back towards his quarters. He paused at the cell's door, hesitating and aware of what would happen next.  
  
Knowing that waiting would only serve to make Boris angrier, Kai swallowed hard and, with a trembling hand, opened the innocent wood door and walked in.  
  
He didn't have time to blink before the eight-year-old found himself pushed up against the door, held up in the air with a hand tightly around his neck. The back of his head throbbed from where contact had been made, and his lips were slowly turning blue from lack of oxygen. He struggled to get a sound out, succeeding with nothing more than the slightly of gasps.  
  
Still held up, the second hand came forward as a fist to his face. Kai could he could to nothing but hand their limply as blow after blow hit his body. If Boris was speaking, Kai couldn't hear it- the blood pounding in his ears was too loud. Head swimming, Kai finally found himself released from the grip, falling hard on the stone floor beneath him.  
  
Air! The young Kai drew in the vital thing desperately. Finally, his panting subsided, and he realized that Boris was still standing there. Gulping to himself, he looked up at those hard eyes. The child's garnet eyes widened in fear, his punishment was not over by a long shot... 


	16. Silence

TT: Behold! An update!  
Kai: Shouldn't you be studying for youe exams? I know you have two tomorrow.  
TT: sweatdrops Well, yes... I should have studied this weekend, but I wanted to do this instead!  
Kai: So you're failing english and commerce, and most likely maths and history, to update?  
TT: defensively Yeah, well, I've almost got 200 reviews for this story!  
Kai: ... --'' Of course. That makes ALL the difference.  
TT: It does! Ask the reviewers!  
Kai: glances at the computer screen, and the potential reviewer sitting in front of it, then shudders I'd rather not.  
TT: ...  
Kai: I want as little to do with these disturbing fans- who LIKE to see me hurt- as possible.  
TT: rolls eyes Fine! ...I HAVE FIVE MINUTES!! MUST STUDY!!! Dives into a pile of textbooks  
Kai: I'm out of here.

Disclaimer: The surface area of a cylinder in Pi times radius squared times the height... Or was that for the volume...?  
Kai: glances back ... Meh, let her get sued.  
  
Kai hated silence. He _really _hated it, some times more than others. It had always held promises of things to come, horribly things of nightmares. But, there were times like this, when he wished that there were quiet.  
Instead, Kai listened to screams coming from far-off corner in the abbey, as someone suffered at the hands of Boris. Kai winched in sympathy, leaning on the wall and bring his chained hands around to draw his legs to his chest.  
  
Under the screams, there were other sounds, quieter ones... A quiet droning of beyblades buzzing wafted down from the level above, easily heard through the thin ceiling... A quiet 'drip... drip...' which, Kai realized with a start, was his own blood, the wet crimson liquid coating his body, dripping down a small crack, a crevice on the floor... Footsteps, loud and marching, as the abbey guards walked past his door and down the hall, fading and then getting louder again as the guards marched back the other way... The sound of chains moving and shifting slightly...  
  
Somewhere nearby, in one of the nearest cells most likely, Kai could make out an almost non-existent snuffling sound, another boy crying quietly, probably, as it was his first time on the lower level.  
  
Kai clutched his ears, not wanting to hear anymore. All sound faded to nothing, and Kai slowly lowered his hands from his ears. Still there was no sound.  
  
His tainted imagination went into overdrive, imagining all that the silence could mean. All the things that could be happening while he sat there, chained like a dog, in the dark. He couldn't stand it, his brain started to imagine things, create sounds that weren't there, like the breathy sound that was only a meter in front of him. Or that dark laughter Kai could remember so vividly, coming back to haunt him.  
  
Kai squeezed his eyes shut and clutched his ears again. He _hated_ silence.

There was silence as the BladeBreaker's sat in their apartment. Kai had been gone since the day before, and there hadn't been any word whatsoever from him. Even Tyson seemed disinterested to the food that rested on his plate.  
  
The remains of a body had been found the evening before; it had been on all the TV channels, and in the morning paper. But no one had a picture, they just said that the person had been turned into a pulp and left it at that. The BladeBreaker's didn't know what to make of that, but it didn't make them feel better about Kai.  
Secretly, they all worried over whether the body could have been Kai's, not that any of them would admit it out loud. Dizzi had, albeit reluctantly, told them that if Black Dranzer were to try to use too much of the power it possessed, Kai's body wouldn't be able to take it and would tear itself apart.  
Kenny had turned _exceedingly_ green after that was mentioned. The others, however, had just stared at Dizzi with identical expressions of pure horror. No one wanted to think that it had happened, but they didn't know. And even if Kai was still fine, what was to stop it happening later?

People didn't give a second glance to the teen walking down the street. Some wanted to, what with the two-tone hair and blue face-marks, but the permanent glare and the way those dark eyes reached into their souls left them too freaked to do so.  
  
Black eyes narrowed as the cunning bitbeast considered its options. Though slightly drained from taking care of Boris, there was little doubt the black phoenix had enough power to finish the fight with its host's teammates. However, should Kai manage to gain control again during the fight...  
Of course, the longer Black Dranzer waited, the longer his opposition would have to prepare. Though the phoenix would have the chance to recover the energy that had recently lost, it was not a risk that seemed very inviting. A quick mental check on Kai proved that he seemed to be in no condition to fight for control. And, of course, Black Dranzer had taken control from the unwilling host once; no doubt the same thing could be accomplished again.  
This concluded, the possessed form nodded thoughtfully, and turned a corner, using the recent memories that could be pried from the vessel without notice to find the way back to where, no doubt, Kai's little 'friends' were waiting.

Black Dranzer found them outside by the beyblade dish, as if preparing to train. No of them, however, showed any sign of doing anything of the sort. Instead, they just stared at each other mournfully, as if they shared a dark and painful secret.  
Pitch-black eyes narrowed further into a slitted glare, and their possessed captain stepped to the other side of the dish, scowling at them.  
As if feeling the gaze, Ray looked up, blinked, then his catlike eyes widened and he jumped to his feet with a yelp. The others all followed Ray's example almost simultaneously, looking over and then getting to their feet, crying out their friend's name.  
Black Dranzer didn't say anything, just put the blue beyblade in the launcher and held it out, ready. Hesitant, Tyson looked at the others, and they talked quietly for a second before Tyson mimicked the posture with his own beyblade.  
In sync, they beyblades were launched, clashing in the middle before circling one another.  
  
Tyson gritted his teeth as his beyblade attacked, only to be dodged deftly by the second blade. Eyes moved from the beyblades to his opponent, eyes watering in despair, murmuring to himself to quietly for anyone else to hear. "Kai, come on, I know your in there. Fight it Kai, you did it before, you can do it know..."  
  
In the safety of the abyss that Black Dranzer had placed his in, Kai's eyes opened and he looked up in confusion as the sound of spinning beyblades broke the silence.


	17. Control Relinquished

TT: Well, I finished my exams-  
  
Kai: Finsished, but didn't study for.  
  
TT: And I actually didn't do as badly as I expected.  
  
Kai: Though that doesn't say much.  
  
TT: glares at Kai I can kill you, you know.  
  
Kai: ...  
  
TT: Anyway, Sorry it took so long to update-  
  
Kai: She was hoping to get the 200 mark before posting this.  
  
TT: ;; Ehehehe...  
  
Kai: Why must you people encourage her?  
  
TT: Oh, sop sulking.  
  
Kai: I-DO-NOT-SULK!!!  
  
TT: ...Right... In any case, here's the next chappy, I hope everyone like it.  
  
Kai: I DON'T!!!  
  
TT: Ignore him and review... pretty please?

For the first few moments, the two beyblades circled one another, trying to gauge their strengths and weaknesses. Of course, Tyson knew most of Kai's from past training experiences, and Black Dranzer simply pulled to knowledge from Kai's mind, so that only lasted a few tense moments before they started to attack.  
  
Black Dranzer attacked first, the dark blue beyblade clashing with Tyson's own pale one. Quick to retaliate, the two beyblades spin near the middle of the dish, circling and almost seeming to take turns attacking.  
  
Tyson hated to admit it, but Black Dranzer had the upper hand. Using Kai's extensive knowledge of Tyson's own weaknesses, his beyblade would get trashed if he didn't do something. With that in mind, Tyson called out Dragoon, and with a flash the massive dragon loomed up in front of them, releasing a roar that seemed to make the arena shake.  
  
The possessed one responded immediately, the dark eyes glowing black for a moment before, out of the empty bitchip, rose Black Dranzer in its own form. It spread its wings and let out a deafening screech, meeting Dragoon's challenge.  
  
In retaliation, dragoon lunged at Black Dranzer, and the two fought in the air as their beyblades clashed below.  
  
Tyson's eyes rested on the two bitbeasts, but the other's were watching Kai, or what was his body at least.  
  
It hadn't moved, scarcely done so much as blinked, since Black Dranzer came out into its physical form. The eyes were still the same pitch black. Couldn't Kai reclaim control this time?  
  
"Dragoon!" Tyson's cry came just a moment before the sad bitbeast crashed into the ground from the force of Black Dranzer's blow, the beyblade landing with a crash next to the dragon.   
  
A screech of triumph from the dark phoenix, and then the bitchip in Tyson's blade began to glow. Tyson's heart grew cold as he remember what that had meant all through the world cup...  
  
Then, all at once, a flash of red from behind them, and another bitbeast lunged at Black Dranzer, letting out its own cry. The two bitbeasts grappled in midair with one another, and the BladeBreaker's stared in shock, one word coming into their minds; 'Dranzer...?'

For while, Kai didn't move, just sat there in the darkness and listened to the familiar sound. "What's going on?" He finally brought himself to ask, then stayed silent again, as if afraid his voice had broken whatever spell allowed him to hear the sound of beyblades battling.  
  
The noise continued, along with other noises that were too blurred to identify, it were as if he were listening through water. Then, another sound Kai could identify came through- Dranzer's own battlecry.  
  
His eyes widened as he did the mental equilivant of sitting up straight, his head turning around and searched the darkness rapidly. Almost in desperation, he called Dranzer's name. The red flash in his chest that accompanied it made the shadows cringe back for the split second it existed.

Kai was struggling again. The black phoenix glared angrily at its counterpart. Kai was struggling again, because of Dranzer. And Black Dranzer didn't think that it was possible to keep control and destroy its opponent at the same time...  
  
A tackle that sent Black Dranzer crashing into the trees proved the point, and with a few, rapid decisions, control was relinquished, settling for claimed all the energy and all the strength in the body for its fight.

The tentacles of darkness that bound him lessened their grip, retreating into the darkness. The darkness faded into nothing in a instant, and Kai blinked a few times as his vision was restored. A beyblade dish? His friends- when did he stop thinking of them only as teammates?- called his name, and his eyes focused on them for a moment before a suddenly burst of pain made him choke.

The BladeBreaker's stared up at the phoenixes as they fought, before a slight choking made their heads snap around.  
  
Kai's eyes flashed to red, and stayed that way.  
  
"Kai!" His face turned to them for a moment, looking confused. But, before anything else could happen, Kai suddenly let out a strangled sound, and black energy flashed across his body like electricity, before disappearing.  
  
Up above their heads, the same energy crackled around Black Dranzer as the bitbeast absorbed it. Dranzer's eyes flashed in rage, and the fight carried on.  
  
More energy crackled around Kai, making him grit his teeth in pain. As the energy dispersed, a feeling of pure exhaustion- something he hadn't felt since the 'chip incident'- overtook him, and his couldn't stop himself falling to his knees, hands helping to hold his up as he tried to get his breath back, eyes wide from shock and pain.  
  
"Kai!" His teammates surrounded him, Tyson and Ray helping to hold him up as Max and Kenny knelt in front of him, "Kai, are you okay?"  
  
Kai's eyes focused on them, and he opened his mouth to say something, but was cut off as energy once again crackled against his skin. His knuckles turned white as he clutched his scalp, trying to relieve the pressure that was growing inside of him.  
  
It was all Kai could do to not scream.


	18. Taking Action

TT: Inspiration is lacking at the moment.

Kai: Not that she ever had it.

TT: Oh shut up...

Kai: Don't mind her, its her school holidays, and she's been staying up late. Now lack of sleep is making her grumpy.

TT: That, and I've been having heaps of trouble with the fic. IF ANYONE HAS ANY IDEAS- PLEASE GIMME!!!!!!

Kai: Here, that? She wants you to tell her what to do- tell her to quit the fic!

TT: I finished this chapter... Me thinks the story will be over in a few more chappies...

Kai: waves flag I can leave!

TT: TigerTerror sleep now... Review please, reviews are nice... Zzzzz.....

Kai: quietly begins to sneak away

Dislcaimer Guy: Hey!! You get back here- oh, forget it. TT owns nothing... Except Dranzer...

Kai: OO rushes back No she doesn't!!

TT: snores

Disclaimer Guy: holds out the toy beyblade, with a Dranzer sticker in the bitchip

Kai: --;; I can't believe I fell for that! ;;

* * *

Pain tore at Kai's senses, a sharp, burning pain. It were almost as if his body were being pulled apart at the seams. Each new flash of pain was accompanied by adrenaline, suddenly appearing inside his veins and then disappearing just as quickly, leaving him with less energy than before. No sooner did he have the chance to gasp for breath when another jolt would course through his body. His blood was boiling in its veins, heated by the energy that was rising from somewhere deep inside his body.  
He wasn't sure if his friends were still there, his eyes were closed and he could focus on opening them. He could feel nothing but hurt as it wrecked through his body, the only thing he could here was the sound of blood, desperately pumping in his ears.  
Tiny rivets of blood managed to escape from their boiling captivity at his neck, snaking their way down under his scarf.  
Finally, Kai managed to find the strength to scream.

* * *

"Kai? Kai!" Tyson shook his friend in desperation, but found no response.  
After the third or fourth time the energy had rippled through him, Kai hadn't had the strength to hold himself up, now being fully supported by Tyson and Ray. His whole body was tense, and he was still clutching his head, trying to relieve himself of the pain. His eyes were squeezed closed, and Tyson was sure he could see a small tear gathering in the corner of one of them. Kai's veins had taken to rising to the surface, pulsing in a strange rhythm.  
  
Above them, Dranzer and Black Dranzer continued to fight, oblivious to Kai's torment.  
  
"His body can't take this! If it doesn't stop soon, the energy is going to tear his body apart!"  
"We know, Kenny. But what can we do?" And further comment was drowned out as energy once more crackled along the surface of Kai's body, blood bursting from their veins by the force.  
And then, Kai screamed. It was loud and clear, torn from a hoarse throat. A thunderous, animalistic scream that pierced through everything else. Even the bitbeasts paused in their fight, heads turning towards their fallen wielder.  
"Kai? Kai! Please, come on- snap out of it!" Ray was almost in tears from desperation for his friend. The others weren't doing much better, both Max and Kenny had tears forming in the corners of their eyes, and Tyson was struggling not to.  
"He can't take it, guys! Dizzi was right, the pressure is too much. We've got to do something!"  
  
There was a pause, broken only by Kai's harsh breathing, before Tyson got up, collecting Dragoon from where it lay and putting it in its launcher. "I guess we have to take out Black Dranzer."  
"But if we attack, Black Dranzer might try to draw more strength from Kai!" Kenny protested, even as the others reached for their beyblades.  
"I know, Chief. But if we don't, Kai's toast. We've got to try!"  
"Tyson's right! It's the only chance we've got."  
"But-"  
"We've got to try, Kenny. If it doesn't work, the end result will be the same. We can't just give up."  
The Chief sighed, relenting, as the three BladeBreakers released their beyblades into the dish below, next to the fourth beyblade... When, exactly, had it turned black?  
  
Calling out their bitbeast's names, Black Dranzer suddenly found himself fending off four powerful bitbeast. The Dark phoenix shrieked in anger, finding itself almost unable to keep up with all of them at once. In desperation, it began to drain more energy from Kai. The human couldn't take much more of the dormant power inside him, the bitbeast was aware of that. But it had stopped caring about the well being of its host, instead focusing on winning.  
After all, all Black Dranzer had to do was ignore the screaming.

* * *

"-old on Kai, just hold on...." Every now and then, Kai would manage to catch a phrase from one of his respective teammates. Desperately, Kai tried to cling to the voices, to stop himself from being taken away in the current of hurt, but didn't even has the energy to try to struggle anymore.  
"Black Dranzer's loosing, Kai. We'll win...."  
The voices themselves got fainter, until Kai couldn't hear them anymore. Instead, he could only hear his own heartbeat at the back of his head, and the sound of the energy as it rose up inside him, tearing him apart. This wasn't the power he'd been taught to seek all this time, was it?  
For some reason, Kai couldn't make himself believe that.  
  
Kai had gone limp as Ray and Tyson held him up, head hung, on the edge between awareness and unconsciousness. Desperately, they tried to talk to him, to tell him to hold on, for just a little while longer. But Kai didn't seem to hear them anymore.  
Above them, the bitbeast continued to spar, four to one. Underneath, which, three beyblades fought against one other. The area was alight and shimmering with their glowing energies, blue, red, green, purple... and black. It was a miracle that no other people had noticed and gone to see what was going on, it would have been very difficult to think up an excuse for the scene in front of them.  
Kai moaned, head lowering once again. All human eyes turned to him and he slumped back into his teammates arms, his eyelids twitching slightly. It took them only a moment to work out what was wrong- the slight trickles of blood had burst into larger cuts, blood spurting from them in large floods.  
Kenny went a shade paler. "He hold on, guys! This is killing him!"  
"Hang in there, Kai. Please, we'll win- just _please_ don't give out on us."  
  
For the faintest of moments, the black beyblade wobbled. 


	19. Battle's end?

Kai: This is really short.  
  
TT: I know!!! cries But I have to go back to school tomorrow, and I just can't seem to get in the mood to write on this thing!!!  
  
Kai: Now look what you people have done! You've made her cry. begins handing out chocolates as a reward  
  
TT: sobbing I DON'T WANNA GO BACK TO SCHOOL!!!!!! I DON'T WANT TO HAVE TO GET UP EARLY AND GO TO THAT PLACE AGAIN!!!  
  
Kai: She doesn't want it to interfer with her important fanfiction reading fest... you know, the one she's had for about three weeks? Where's she'd been staying up to 3 am to read people's work?  
  
TT: I CAN'T DO THAT ANYMORE!!! I'S NOT FAIR!  
  
Kai: Don't you have a pile of homework in your back? You know, that you were supposed to do?  
  
TT: O0 Eeep! I have maths homework!!!  
  
Kai:... We REALLY need some help, here...  
  
Disclaimer: So this side, times this COS symbol thing-y, equals that side?! Or was it the other way around? No, wait! I'm supposed to use the SIN symbol thing-y...  
  
Kai: ... Amazing that she managed to pull a high C in her maths class last semester, isn't it?   
  
TT: Would have been a C, but my school doesn't do that... Why doesn't it?  
  
Kai: Just do your homework.

* * *

Black Dranzer wasn't sure when it had happened, but the other bitbeast had managed to overpower him. There was no chance of being able to claim energy more quickly- the energy inside Kai was becoming depleted.   
  
Refusing to admit the possibility of loosing, however, the creature drew what little strength the host still had, oblivious to the harm it would do, and with a cry charged once more.

* * *

Kai had let out one last cry, almost in sync with Black Dranzer's, before falling forward, unconscious. The remaining teens exchanged looks, not sure if they should be worried or relieved that Kai wasn't in any more pain. They settled for concerned.  
  
In the sky, it was Dranzer who took the brunt of the other phoenix's attack. Sheer determination to help Kai, however, gave him strength, and dived straight into its counterpart as the other bitbeasts attacked from all sides.  
  
Flailing in exhaustion and pain, Black Dranzer screeched, trying to shield itself from the attacks unsuccessfully. Then, all at once, its strength was gone, and it fell towards the ground before disappearing into its beyblade.  
  
The black beyblade wobbled, then fell over onto the ground, the bit chip inside it shattering into tiny fragments.  
  
Their job done, the other bitbeasts returned to their own realm as well, Dranzer hesitating, staring anxiously at its partner, before disappearing after the others into its own bitchip.  
  
Kai's unconscious face twisted into one of agony for a moment, before relaxing, leaning further back into his teammates embrace as he went deeper into his lifeless state.

* * *

For a moment, there was nothing. Just... nothing, not even darkness, nor light. Then, pain, greater than any pain he could remember, as his he were being torn in half. Screaming again, Kai was shocked to find another cry along with his own... Well, actually, it was a screech.  
  
Soul being torn in two, Kai resisted the pull that was trying to take Black Dranzer, for fear of being taken with the bitbeast to... well, wherever the dark phoenix was going.  
  
Even through his closed eyes, Kai could see the red glow, shining brightly in front of him. Then, as he pried his eyes open, Dranzer appeared, and Kai clung to his bitbeast, squeezing his eyes closed against the pain.  
  
It could have been seconds, or it could have been millennia, Kai had lost all sense of time. All he knew was the excruciating hurt that was his soul been torn in half, and the vague comfort that Dranzer crooning gave him.  
  
Kai didn't know how, but clinging to Dranzer, he lost the possibility of being pulled down with Black Dranzer... But, that didn't stop the pain that wracked his frame as he clung to his bitbeast, arms around the phoenix's neck and hands fisted around the warm, red feathers.  
  
Finally, with one last painful tug, something gave way, and Kai felt Black Dranzer's bond tear away. Almost sobbing in relief, Kai collapsed, curling in on himself as his consciousness hid in the shadowed corners of his mind.  
  
Black Dranzer was gone... But, all the things he'd done under the creature's influence... His hands had caused so much damage... All because he wasn't strong enough to resist the dark phoenix's temptation that first time...  
  
Kai couldn't find the strength to forgive himself.

* * *

The BladeBreaker's looked up briefly as their friend, now lying in his bed, moaned and murmured Dranzer's name. And, behind closed lid, tears of shame began to well up in Kai's crimson eyes.


	20. A final word from TT

bows head I know your going to all hate me for this...

No, the summary isn't wrong- I'm being forced to discontinue this story...

Its not even that school is weighing me down- though I suppose it is a part of it (I won't go into that)

When I first joined fanfiction, I vowed to never discontiue a story unless I felt it completely nessecary- believe me, I know what its like to read a story, love it, wait hopefully for the next chapter, and then have it stopped in your face.

However, I have absolutely no inspiration whatsoever for this fic, the creek is dry, if you will. If I do get a sudden flash of inspiration, I promise I will continue. However, I doubt that will be happening...

And so, I will stop stringing you along with the hopes of what will come next...

You can throw things at me now- I won't even dodge.

Thank you, loyal fans,

Sincerly, TigerTerror


End file.
